The House of Representatives has opened an investigation into alleged procurement irregularities at the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), after stakeholders accused it of inflating contracts and mismanaging funds intended for vulnerable people.
The committee on disability matters, led by honourable Bashiru Dawodu, began hearings on Thursday following complaints about opaque contract awards, shoddy project delivery and questionable administrative practices.
Abdullahi Ibrahim, one of the complainants, singled out a contract for 101 point-of-sale (POS) machines and starter packs, which he said was awarded for about N97million – far above market rates.
“How can a disability commission pay such an exorbitant sum?” he asked, voicing widespread anger in the disability community over perceived misuse of public money.
Committee members took the allegations seriously but demanded hard evidence. “We need documents to back these claims,” they told witnesses, vowing a rigorous probe to uncover the truth.
Ayuba Burki Gufwan, the commission’s Executive Secretaty who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in August 2024, defended his organisation.
He said an internal review had already exposed and revoked dubious contracts inherited from his predecessor, with fresh tenders now under way.
According to him, records, would be handed over to aid the inquiry – a process he hoped would bolster transparency and better serve disabled Nigerians.
