The Nigerian House of Representatives says it will continue to provide legislative support towards bridging the infrastructure gap in the country.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila made the remark in Abuja at an investigative hearing on the N19.2bn railway rehabilitation contract awarded to Eser Contracting Industry Incorporated.
Mr. Gbajabiamila, represented by the Deputy House Leader, Mr. Peter Akpatason expressed concern that in the last ten years, a rehabilitation contract for Eastern Railway Line was awarded about three times for over two trillion naira.
“When we consider the reasons why our economy is not operating at a scale it ought to be, the significant deficit in our infrastructure routinely comes at the top of the lists of concern” Akpatason said.
Status of project
Earlier, the Chairman of the adhoc Committee, Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba explained that the House will not relent in its efforts to ascertain the status of the project and circumstances that led to the re-award of the contract ten years after.
“In the course of carrying out this assignment, the House considered another motion in this respect and equally resolved to expand the scope of the ad-hoc committee to investigate the status of the entire railway rehabilitation contract awarded to 3 companies namely – CGGC Global Projects Nigeria Limited, Lingo Nigeria Limited and Eser Contracting and Industry Company Incorporation.
“The reason for this Resolution is not far-fetched. Only recently and more than 10 years after the award of the contract for the rehabilitation of the eastern railway line, Mr. President performed a ceremony to flag a re-award of the contract to reconstruct the same eastern railway line, this time for about $3.2bn (that is, approximately about N1.3tr).
“This, no doubt, raises some concerns especially where there are allegations of abandonment of the project by 3 contractors even after payments have been made” he said.
The 1,400km Port Harcourt-Maiduguri critical railway line links the Southern part of Nigeria to the North East and its optimal operation would reduce pressure on roads, thereby making them durable.
Emmanuel Ukoh
