Reps probe Works Ministry over N200bn abandoned projects

[Mirror]

The Public Account Committee of the House of Representatives is investigating the Ministry of Works for alleged abandonment of projects worth N200 billion across the country.

Besides, the ministry, according to the House committee, will answer queries on another allegation that N17 billion was paid to contractors for a job that was abandoned.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, made this known to journalists in Abuja when the officials of the ministry, led by the permanent secretary, Dr. A. K. Mohammed, appeared before the committee over the 28 queries raised against it by the office of the Auditor- General of the Federation (AGF).

The committee said that it uncovered another over N17 billion reportedly paid out to contractors as mobilization fee but later abandoned the site, while another contractor, JMK Nigeria Limited, was accused of receiving about N2.2 billion from the ministry as mobilization fees only for it to sub-let the same contract to another contractor.

The committee, however, directed its secretary to write to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to furnish it with necessary information about the JMK Nigeria Limited.

The chairman, who said the committee was not out to harass any contractor or the officials of the ministry, also alleged that the site and district engineers of the ministry connived with contractors to swindle the Federal Government of several billions of naira on jobs not done over the years.

He said: "It is time we started recommending the erring engineers for trial because they are the ones to see that all necessary things are done after which they will sign performance job certificates before money is paid."

The committee then gave the ministry up till Tuesday next week to submit relevant documents on the over N200 billion abandoned projects from 1999 to 2008 to assist it on the proposed investigation while all engineers connected with the affected projects should be produced before the committee unfailingly,

According to Hon Adeola, the relevant documents include the list of the contracts, the list of the contractors, the contracts values, the amounts of money already paid till date, the percentage of the jobs done, the dates the contracts were awarded and when they were abandoned and the engineers involved, among others.

National Mirror