With Matthew Denis
The Harmony Holdings Limited has debunked what it described as rumour of alleged fraud by one of its management staff, Mr. Adebayo Sanni.
A statement signed by the company’s Manager of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kayode Aremu and made available to Pilot Business said the allegation which was made via the social media is sponsored and falsehood.
“We are deeply concerned by the level of disinformation and falsehood that is being peddled around by some self-serving individuals on the social media.
“We deny in its entirety the allegations contained in the said publications and wish to assure Kwarans that Harmony Holdings Limited(HHL) as presently structured cannot allow or permit the perpetration of fraud or conversion of public assets as alleged in the circulation under reference.
“Mr Adebayo Sanni, who is being referred to in the said social media posts, is a member of Management of Harmony Holdings Ltd and does not have the power or authority to execute transactions as was alleged by the authors of the odious piece,” it added.
According to the statement, sales of property in Harmony Investment & Property Development Company Ltd (HIPDC)-subsidiary of HHL, is the exclusive preserve of the Board of the Company, which must give approval in all and every instance. Therefore, Mr Sanni could not have acted as alleged.
“For the sake of clarity we want well-meaning individuals to note that the circumstances surrounding the House at Catchment Road: When Kwara State Government implemented the monetisation and sales of government properties to civil servants and others, Mr Adebayo Sanni, as a sitting tenant, duly applied for the purchase of the property under reference.
“After due processing, including the approval of the Board of HIPDC, the property was sold to Mr. Sanni, like other people who benefitted from the scheme. As a staff of Harmony Holdings Ltd, payment for the building was approved to be spread over a period of 18 months ending November, 2018. As at date, ownership of the title still resides with the company (HIPDC) and will not be transferred until full defrayment of payment is made for same.
“Also on the Hectares of Land at Harmony Estate Galadimawa, Abuja: In line with our Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), no allocation of land can be done without evidence of payment and due approval.
” As of today, every home owner at Harmony Estate, Galadimawa has been duly certified and validated. By our records, no one built in the Estate without sale proceeds having been paid to the coffers of HIPDC Ltd.
The statement explained that on the iaaue of stadium Shopping Complex the property currently houses the Corporate Head Office of Harmony Holdings Ltd with the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in the possession of our Company Secretary till this moment.
” It is impossible therefore to have sold the property for which the C of O is still in our custody.
“The claim on the Forest Guest Inn is also baseless and is at best a figment of imagination of the authors.
It added that, “We again reassure Kwarans that Harmony Holdings Ltd is in competent hands of eminent Kwarans of impeachable character both at the Board and Management levels. Harmony Holdings Ltd is committed to transparency, fairness and justice, and will continue to hold aloft principles of good corporate governance and accountability in the service of Kwara State.
