This is one of the countless stories of the pervasive greed, fraud, and corruption practiced daily by contractors both indigenous and foreign in Nigeria’s power sector.
It appears a major fraud is being perpetrated upon the citizens of Sokoto State in the construction of an Independent Power Plant (IPP) by United States based Vulcan Capital Management Company. The project originally touted to be completed an producing power within six months has stretched to over a year with no realistic date set for the State to receive power from the facility.
The citizens of Sokoto State should not be misled by the arrival of equipment to construct the IPP, the equipment is second-hand, dated, used, and not up to standard; simply put it is not what the citizens of Sokoto State paid for or what they were promised.
Technically, the equipment was not designed to run on the reported fuel source without some major modifications, which have not been budgeted. The hole in the ground that Vulcan is calling the foundation for the power plant, was constructed without any geotechnical data, that hole was constructed to misled the citizens of Sokoto that progress was being made at the jobsite. The foundation was designed before the equipment was sourced, it is not a true foundation, just a hole in the ground that will have to buried and redesigned to mount the useless equipment to further perpetuate this fraud.
There are no construction drawing to date for the project. Vulcan is truly clueless as to how to build a power plant, at least one that works. In a letter, from the Sokoto State Government to Vulcan, dated November 4, 2009 with reference number SSG/9014/13/VOL.I/P. The Sokoto State government is still requesting basic information from Vulcan regarding technical specifications, including designs for the 30 MW IPP.
From the beginning the project has been rack with massive amounts of financial fraud with Vulcan blaming its “local content partner” Elvaton, and Elvaton placing the blame squarely on Vulcan. What is known is that well over N150,000,000,000.00 which should have gone to project development cost was spent on things not related to the project.
The relationship between the companies has deteriorated to the point that Vulcan’s CEO approached the US Embassy in Abuja to place the CEO of Elvaton on its watch list of Nigerian’s to be denied US visas. Upon being granted an interview for a US visa the CEO of Elvaton was grilled by consular staff officer’s and literally confessed to the machinations taking place regarding the project; he was of course denied a visa to travel to the US.
So much money was misappropriated by the Vulcan Elvaton alliance from the initial multi-million naira mobilization that when it came time to perfect the Skybank Letter of Credit “LC” for the second traunch of cash neither company, for a period of five months, could raise USD$150,000.00 to perfect the LC. The project languished for five months due to a lack of USD$150,000.00. The project site became dilapidated, weeds grow, fences crumbled and Sokoto State officials started to became alarmed. The Daily Trust, a Nigerian newspaper, voiced the people’s concern over the delay’s in the following article dated 18 Nov 2009.
Sokoto Residents Decry Power Project Delay
Sokoto — Concerns are being raised over the delay in the commencement of the N3.8 billion Sokoto independent power project .Residents of Sokoto say the project is behind schedule and may not see the light of the day.
The state government had last year entered into an agreement with a United States based Vulcan Capital Energy for the establishment of an Independent Power Plant (IPP) in the state.
Our correspondent who visited the site of the project along the Kalambaina Industrial layout, Arkila, reports that no work is being done there.
It would be recalled that the Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Sahabi Isa Gada had while signing the contract on behalf of the government said the state had the desire to effectively build a solid foundation for industrialization, saying that could not be accomplished without adequate power supply.
Speaking on the delay in the commencement of the project, Commissioner for Information Dahiru Maishanu said everything possible was being done to address the situation. He said the government was determined to actualize the project.
In desperation the CEO of Elvaton approached his fiancé for a short-term loan to perfect the LC. The fiancé was promised an immediate return of her money, interest, and a small profit for the loan, the promise, according to the CEO of Elvaton was based on a guarantee Vulcan had given to Elvaton for repayment of the money upon perfection of the LC.
The fiancé used one her rental properties to secure the loan from Union Homes, which was granted, an she dutifully gave the money to Elvaton.
Upon perfection of the LC, the blame game started in earnest between Vulcan and Elvaton, with Elvaton claiming that Vulcan reneged on the terms and amount of the repayment to Elvaton for securing the money to perfect the LC, and Vulcan claiming that it repaid its debt in full to Elvaton.
The dutiful and faithful fiancé was never repaid her money; Union Homes is now the owner of her prized rental property, located along the airport road, due to her failure to repay the loan.
This type of behavior is not new to Vulcan in its business dealings with people or institutions, it is very much typical of their historical business practices; one only needs to do a cursory Google search to find the posted warnings about this company and its executives. I note the following as an example:
Author: Vulcan Capital - WARNING!
Tue Jan 13 21:08:17 2009
To whom it may concern, please be advised that Ford Graham and Kevin Davis are involved in a lawsuit for non-performance of a similar contract in the United States. The BGT Group, Inc. provided Vulcan Capital with over $6 Million of money and equipment to build three components of a power plant. The contract was never completed by Vulcan, The BGT Group, Inc. was forced to file a lawsuit, and contact the FBI to pursue a criminal investigation. Ultimately, The BGT Group, Inc. manufactured the plants on their own; however, they are still involved in the lawsuit against the Vulcan entities (Ford Graham and Kevin Davis) and in communication with the FBI regarding this matter. Over the years, there are several other actions against various Vulcan entities of a similar nature. It would seem that, Vulcan Capital Energy is a new company created by Ford Graham and Kevin Davis to distance themselves from various (negative) past activities. Public records will show the various lawsuits against the numerous Vulcan entities. Moreover, we have come to understand that Ford Graham, Kevin Davis, and Vulcan Capital Energy are in no way associated with Paul Allen and his respective companies. The Sokoto State Government may want to accomplish a background check prior to giving these people any monies.
Vulcan has not paid its onsite contractors, its sales staff, or the rent on its Abuja compound; the contractors have threaten to seal the jobsite until they are paid, and Vulcan has written bogus checks to their major contractor. The contractor has taken Vulcan’s jeep’s and other vehicles, and is threatening to take the bogus checks to EFCC for enforcement action, which they may have already done.
This could account for Ford Graham’s, Vulcan’s CEO, long disappearance from Nigeria since September 09, when he left the country stating that he would return within two weeks. Vulcan’s in country manager Jim Mansfield, more about this sick bastard later, arrived back in the country in January, he could reportedly face arrest due to being the signer of at least three of the bogus checks, as well as facing pending forgery charges lodge against him to the Ministry of Immigration related to his false work visa and other bogus credentials.
It gets worse, the expats hired by Vulcan don’t have valid work visas, they haven’t been paid in two months and refuse to go back to Sokoto until paid in full. The work visa the expats are holding is the subject of the forgery mentioned earlier. Reportedly, additional expats will be arriving from the US this month to work in Sokoto, they will enter the country on 6 month tourist visas.
This is a complete disregard for Nigeria’s work laws, tax code’s, and immigration statues. This disdain for following the rule of law, typical for Vulcan in developing countries, places the power project in further peril from the jobsite being shut down by Nigerian Immigration authorities.
Even if the project is allowed to progress with all the cited flaws it is still doomed to failure unless the Sokoto State government takes immediate action to suspend Vulcan’s contract and hire a reputable firm to complete the project.
Author: Cockroach
Thu Feb 5 00:09:16 2009
This is a huge mistake. Dont trust Vulcan Capital. They will take your money then bankrupt the corporation and create a new one. They do not know how to build power plants to run...
FAITH
The sad truth about the contract to build the IPP is that a well fed mangy mongrel dog name Faith would have benefited more from the contract than 99.99% of the citizens of Sokoto State.
While the people of Sokoto State struggle for their daily bread, Faith feasts on prime hand rub herb chicken roasted daily for her exclusive consumption. While the people of Sokoto toiled daily to over come extreme poverty, Faith lives a very pampered life in a fabulous mansion in one of Abuja’s most exclusive residential communities, her private suite complete with a luxurious king size bed, large screen high-definition television, Bose surround sound system and many other world-class amenities of which most indigenes of Sokoto State will never experience or even hope to have. While the indigenes of Sokoto State suffer greatly from a lack of health care, Faith’s doctor makes personal house calls to ensure her health and well being.
Often one can hear Faith’s owner Jim Mansfield, Vulcan’s in-country manager, screaming at the house staff that “these chickens are for Faith, they are Faith’s chickens and anyone caught eating one of Faith’s chickens will be fired.”
When Faith comes into heat and starts to bleed she is allowed to roam her mansion freely, leaving a blood trail to mark her travels. Guest and visitors have often been observed stepping over one of Faith’s blood trails with very puzzled expressions on their face. Complaints of this behavior from the staff are not tolerated, you can only follow the dog with a mop and bucket of water to clean her bloody mess. Jim, says the ants may bite Faith if she is allowed to sleep outside, that the rain frightens her, and that she cannot tolerate the sound of thunder. The bowl that Faith eats from is keep uncovered in the refrigerator along side food which will be prepared for guest and visitors.
The staff will often quietly and in hushed whisper’s complain that Faith eats and lives better than they and their families, better than most Nigerian’s. They simply can’t fathom how or why an individual can spend more money on a weekly basis than they earn in six month’s to maintain a dog in such a life style. They don’t understand their struggle to earn school fee’s to educate their children, while an individual spends their country’s wealth to teach his dog tricks. They can’t grasp the mentality of an individual who would flaunt his wealth on a dog while so many Nigerian children scream daily due to the pains of hunger. They are astounded and dumbfounded at the level of insensitivity displayed by this individual; so much wealth and compassion extended to a dog, in a country with one of the world’s shortest life expectancy’s and highest rates of infant mortality.
Faith’s privileged life is all thanks to the misspent money derived from the hard working, poor tax paying citizens of Sokoto State.
JIM
Jim, a sycophantic, manic depressive individual, upon whom the dignity of being called a man cannot be bestowed, could not be employed in the US or Canada as a Director of any serious company, yet he appears to be the ideal Vulcan prototype employee, a company with a documented history of sending the most unqualified people they can find to project sites. As a reference I give you following internet posting:
Author: Vulcan Corporate
Fri Feb 6 11:59:53 2009
Sokoto Government,
Before you proceed with Vulcan Capital do some reference checks on the employees who are providing services for them. On Vulcan Capitals last contract they convinced the parole board to let one of their employees out of jail to complete a contract. Since then the employee was busted for trafficing cocaine and now is in jail. Vulcan Capital is known for hiring unprofessional or under educated employees. Another example is when they had a contract for a power plant project in Iraq. Their project manager that was hired, took over a year to find one simple fault, this costed the contract and later Vulcan Capital was sued and lost over it. Vulcan Capital, Ford Graham are not to be trusted they are millions of dollars in debt. Watch my words. your contract will not be completed there will be some issue that arises, and they will blame you for it. They love going to court but most of the time they lose. If you can also be of assistance tell Vulcan Capital to pay their employees back wages that are owed. They only care about themselves.
A vile sick man whose hatred of Nigeria and Nigerian’s is practiced daily; in his opinion all Nigerian’s are corrupt, stupid, thieves. His venom has been spewed in faces of Ibo, Yoruba, and Hausa; his disdain on the Ijaw, Tiv and other indigenes who dare question his opinion of their culture and country.
When questioned by one of the expat project engineer’s about the lack of geotechnical data for the design of the foundation, his response was “ don’t ever mention geotechnical again, we are not dealing with intelligent people they know nothing of geotechnical requirements”.
He curse’s and scorns the very existence of Nigeria as he sucks from her bounty to pamper his dog.
He has lied so much as to the true state of the Sokoto IPP, that even he admits that Sokoto State government officials no longer consider him credible. He says that the only reason Sokoto State officials still meet with him is to entertain themselves listening to his lie’s on behalf of Vulcan.
THE LADIES
Layla, a citizen of the UK was hired by Vulcan to assist with in-country logistics and marketing; Allison and Mitchi were hired by Vulcan in similar capacities soon after Layla’s arrival. Jim as Vulcan’s in-country director was responsible for marketing the Vulcan’s capabilities to build power plants. The first casualty of this arrangement was Layla, forced to move into Vulcan’s compound, due to Vulcan’s failure to pay her salary, she witnessed first hand Jim’s abuse, both verbal and physical, of the house staff. His wrath was not limited to the house staff but anyone who entered the compound with an invoice and a demand for prompt payment. Her mistake was to intervene on the side of contractor who was demanding payment for services he had rendered, her reward was his chocking hands around her neck, a broken wrist, a slapped face, and her along with her clothing tossed into the street. She filed a complaint with the EFCC, but no action by the EFCC was to follow.
Mitchi and Allison arrived at the compound soon after Lalya was beaten and kick-out, their arrival at the compound was necessitated by the same circumstance that forced Lalya to the compound, a failure of Vulcan to pay their salaries.
Mitchi and Allison were a dynamic marketing duo for Vulcan, they were young, intelligent, poised and they knew Nigeria; especially the path’s to its corridor’s of power. The doors they opened for Vulcan were often left tainted by Jim’s condescending demeanor to his host, on more than one occasion Mitchi or Allison would have to take control of the meeting to save themselves from further embarrassment.
They stopped allowing Jim and Vulcan access to their clients, first because they thought Jim was an imbecilic moron with no decorum or respect for his Nigerian host, and secondly because Vulcan never paid them for their services.
They had expended so much of their own money own behalf of Vulcan that during the holiday period, both had to contact their families for tickets to travel home. To date neither have been paid and are no longer allowed to stay in the compound.
SUNDAY
Sunday was employed by Vulcan as a cook in the Abuja compound, he suffered Jim’s abuse with humor and the resolve of a man who needed to retained his job to support his family. When Jim realized that Sunday’s faith could not be shaken by his verbal and physical abuse, his cruelty then explored the depth’s of depravity. He accused Sunday of stealing USD$10,000.00 from his room. An email to Vulcan’s management concerning the incident reads as follows:
Jim’s story about a $10 grand theft from his room just doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. When he told me this morning I swear he was almost gleeful. Some one supposedly goes into his room straight to his closet and finds his hidden magic jacket pocket which just happens to contain $10 grand. What are the chance’s of that happening? Who knew he had $10 grand hidden in his closet in one of his jackets. Hell, he told me just this Wednesday, he didn’t have $2000.00, when I told him the cost for printing the documents in A3 would cost me about $2500.00. Now, today he says someone stole $10 grand from his room; it a lie.
I can vouch for every worker in this house, especially Sunday, there are no thieves employed in this compound. Sunday’s father died yesterday, he has been sick for some time; Sunday travel a few days ago to visit his father, when he returned he told everyone that his father would probably pass in a few days and that he would need to return to Lagos for the burial.
Yesterday, Sunday called me looking for Jim so that he could inform him of his need to return to Lagos , Jim was not answering his phone, so Sunday waited for him to return to tell him about the development with his father. Jim says that Sunday only told him that his father “has taken a turn for the worst” not that he had “died”. Well, I guess that’s enough to establish Sunday’s guilt, at least in Jim’s twisted mind.
The man has filed no police report or reported the theft to any law enforcement agency, you know why?, because it did not happen. Jim, went shopping for tile for the carport driveway today and bought some nice tile. Are these the action of man who just had $10 grand stolen from him?, NO!!!
Every one knows he keeps money locked in the office, that’s the logical place for someone looking to steal would go, not his room and rumble through his pockets for change.
This is not the first time he has accused someone of theft in the house, from little food items to rolls of toilet paper now this grand larceny.
Who he is trying to “set-up” with such a story, what is his real motive with such a damnable lie. He keep $10 grand in his jacket pocket so that he could pay down his Visa bill, because he knew he would be leaving for the States soon. Tell me, how do you pay your Visa bill by keeping money in your room? Seems to me keeping the cash in a bank and wiring it to your wife to pay the bill would make more sense. Question, has he ever paid his Visa bill in the past in this manner? Just some thing to think about.
Poor Sunday his father dies now this.
But you ask, but why would Jim make up such a lie. Stress, baby stress the bum is completely burnt out and stress out. He needs to get out of here, in my opinion he is unstable.
Ford, you have ridden this horse for too long and too far in hostile territory, put him out to pasture for awhile, he is sick physically and mentally.
Sunday, an innocent man, is in hiding because he is afraid of being prosecuted due to Jim’s lie.
ALIU
Aliu, a quiet native son of Sokoto soil, the grandson of a former Nigerian President, a silent witness who monitors daily Vulcan’s activities on behalf of Sokoto State. If the project has any chance of being successful he would have played an immense part, regardless of the lack of credit given to him by Jim, it is Aliu who has rescued Vulcan from several incidents of project mismanagement.
Aliu wants the project to be successful so that his State can have power, he is a patient man who suffers Jim with dignity, bearing his insults to both his culture and religion.
Jim, would often cook a pork roast for Faith and he to enjoy for dinner, he would often invite Aliu to join him for dinner, with full knowledge of Aliu’s prohibition from eating pork, as he is a devout Muslim. When Sunday would inform Jim of Aliu’s dietary restriction he would be admonished and threaten if he told Aliu that he was eating pork.
Aliu say’s that he must continue to tolerate Jim because his grand father is depending on him to move this project forward with all deliberate speed.
THE ARREST
Jim was arrested on 10 Feb 2010 by agents of the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission “EFCC” on charges related to the issuance of a bogus check. The agents seized his passport, if not for the timely intervention of the Canadian Embassy, and more so the mercy shown by Aliu to act as Jim’s surety on a bail bond, he would have been locked in a jail cell; with some of Nigeria’s finest inmates who had eagerly anticipated his arrival, thanks to a tip-off from Vulcan’s scorned major contractor. It could be safely assumed that a similar faith awaits Mr. Ford Graham should he decide to return to Nigeria.
Jim believes that Ford will arrive in Nigeria next week, delusional thinking, to make good on the bogus check and resolve this mess. What Jim is not aware of is that Ford is trying to save his own hide, and has a scheduled jury trail in San Antonio, Texas next week for previous misdeeds related to Vulcan’s unscrupulous business activities.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
SAN ANTONIO DIVISION
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
01:30 PM JURY SELECTION/TRIAL
SA:04-CV-00566 28:1332 DIVERSITY-PETITION FOR REMOVAL
DANIEL J. O'HARE Plaintiff
ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
MICHAEL R. STEWART Plaintiff
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
VS Versus
FORD F. GRAHAM Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
KEVIN C. DAVIS Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
08:30 AM JURY TRIAL
SA:04-CV-00566 28:1332 DIVERSITY-PETITION FOR REMOVAL
DANIEL J. O'HARE Plaintiff
ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
MICHAEL R. STEWART Plaintiff ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
VS Versus
FORD F. GRAHAM Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
KEVIN C. DAVIS Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
Thursday, February 18, 2010
08:30 AM JURY TRIAL
SA:04-CV-00566 28:1332 DIVERSITY-PETITION FOR REMOVAL
DANIEL J. O'HARE Plaintiff ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
MICHAEL R. STEWART Plaintiff ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
VS Versus
FORD F. GRAHAM Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
KEVIN C. DAVIS Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
Friday, February 19, 2010
08:30 AM JURY TRIAL
SA:04-CV-00566 28:1332 DIVERSITY-PETITION FOR REMOVAL
DANIEL J. O'HARE Plaintiff
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
MICHAEL R. STEWART Plaintiff ATTY: JEAN C. FRIZZELL
ATTY: ROBERT J. MADDEN
ATTY: JOHN S. BLACK
ATTY: RUDY A. GARZA
ATTY: FERMEEN F. FAZAL
VS Versus
FORD F. GRAHAM Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
KEVIN C. DAVIS Defendant ATTY: JESSE R. CASTILLO
FORD RETURNS TO NIGERIA
Ford returned to Nigeria the first week of March 2010 and went on the legal offensive highering an attorney to fight Vulcan’s eviction from the Udi Hills compound, and to seek the return of vehicles and other equipment taken from the job site by the contractor.
Ford also drafted into the fray the Sokoto State SSG to mediate between Vulcan and the contractor; he also had a warrant of arrest issued for the contractor. The contractor left Nigeria, some say to avoid arrest, others vouch that he had to return home to attend family matters. The contractor eventually returned to Nigeria to enforce his action against Vulcan.
In advance of Ford’s return a new engineer by the name of Jerry Campbell was hired by Vulcan and sent to Sokoto. Jerry, an elderly man of perhabs seventy years was a veteren of several power projects having worked globally with multi-nationals on such projects. Jerry left Nigeria after less than six weeks on the job, the third such engineer to leave Vulcan’s employment after assessing the projects chances for success.
Despite all the delay’s, arrest, and financial malficense; Ford went to Sokoto to attend an emergency meeting call by the Sokoto State government regarding their IPP.
Believe it or not Ford was able to convience the Sokoto State government to advance Vulcan an additional USD$750,000.00 for logistics involving the delivery of the second plane load of cargo for the IPP.
Ford, left Nigeria after confirming that the cash had posted to his US bank account; but not before blaming his partner Ken Davis for the delay in the arrival of the additional plane load of cargo.
KEVIN FIGHT’S BACK
Ken Davis denies blame for any delay associated with the Sokoto IPP; he asserts that the project has always been under Ford’s control. Kevin’s claim of innocence is validated by Liz Goutevenier, a Vulcan project manager who works from Vulcan’s New York office with direct project over site for the Sokoto IPP. She says that she gave Ford clear instructions as to the procedure for the delivery of the second plane load of equipment to Sokoto. She states that her instructions to Ford were given to him verbally, in writing, and by email; it is her understanding that the plane has not arrived because Ford failed to follow any of her instructions or procedures.
But what is truly shocking is her claim that the second plane load of equipment will never arrive in Sokoto as long as Ford is assocaited with the project; she says that the plane company now refuses to do any business with Vulcan and Ford Graham.
Liz, Ford’s on employee, calls him a theif, criminal, and a fraud.
SOKOTO STATE
The Sokoto State government official’s are still looking up in the air every day waiting for the plane to arrive, after all they just departed with more cash to Mr. Ford for their equipment.
The government official haven’t a clue as of this date that the plane is not coming. Ford has feed them story after story all tinged with a inkling of truth from delay’s due to record snow fall in the US and now volcanic ash.
Who know’s what new story tomorrow will bring to cause additional delay’s; this whole episode will soon explode into an ugly scandal. Speaking of explosions I would be very careful operating any power plant associated with Vulcan.
Last word, Faith say’s thanks for the chicken’s and keep the money coming.
The effects on the Sokoto IPP project due to these developments will become evident in the very near future.
Faith’s chickens provide insight into Vulcan’s careless, cavalier and reckless behavior toward the goodwill shown them by the Sokoto State government in awarding them the contract to build its IPP to power the States future development.
Faith’s chickens offer’s a larger indictment against the system that produces, regulates, and distributed power in Nigeria. A system rack with fraud and corruption on all levels to the complete and utter devastation to all sector’s of Nigeria’s economy.
COMING SOON:
The Diesel Cabal
The Generator Mafia
The Power Probe’s
