World Bank debars two Nigerian Waste Management Companies for fraudulent practices

The World Bank has announced the five-year debarment of Rojoke CNE Services Ltd. (Rojoke) and CNE Environmental & Waste Services Ltd. (CNE), both Nigeria-based companies, and their owner, Mr. Robinson Ekenedilichukwu Ojoko, for engaging in fraudulent practices during the procurement process for waste management and refuse collection contracts under the State Employment and Expenditure for Results Project in Nigeria.

The debarment makes Rojoke, CNE, their affiliates, and Mr. Ojoko ineligible to participate in World Bank-financed projects during the five-year time period. The debarments are part of a settlement agreement under which Mr. Ojoko, on behalf of his companies, acknowledges responsibility for the underlying sanctionable practices and agrees to meet specified corporate compliance conditions as a condition for release from debarment.

The World Bank-financed project, which is scheduled to close in September 2019, is designed to enhance opportunities for employment and access to socio-economic services while improving public expenditure management systems in the participating states of Bayelsa, Edo, Delta and Rivers in Nigeria.

According to the facts described in the settlement agreement, Mr. Ojoko was an employee of the Delta state government agency in charge of implementing the project when his companies, Rojoke and CNE, bid for two refuse collection contracts under the project.  The companies misrepresented Mr. Ojoko's ownership interest in both companies in their bids, and Mr. Ojoko and the two companies submitted false documents in the bidding process. These actions constitute fraudulent practices under World Bank Procurement Guidelines.

The settlement agreement provides for reduced periods of debarment in light of cooperation and voluntary remedial actions taken by Mr. Ojoko and his companies. As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreement, Mr. Ojoko, Rojoke and CNE commit to developing an integrity compliance program consistent with the principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines. Mr. Ojoko and his companies also commit to continue to fully cooperate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency.

The debarment of Mr. Ojoko, Rojoke and CNE qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks (MDBs) under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.