Reps committee writes CBN, AGF, BPP, demands details of contracts awarded, money disbursed to ministry of works

The House of Representatives Committee on Works has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to provide details of contracts awarded and financial disbursement to the federal ministry of works.

The committee, chaired by Akinola Alabi, gave the directive in a letter written to the federal government’s ministry, agencies and parastatals, with copies obtained by Peoples Gazette on Monday.

In the letter titled ‘Request for Information’, Mr Alabi said the CBN, AGF, BPP should furnish the committee with documents of all bank statements ascribable to the ministry, all payments made by the ministry, all payments received by the ministry and other relevant information.

According to him, the ministry, department, and agency should also provide the committee with the date of award, contractor awarded, and project timeline.

He listed others to include all adverts and invitations for submission of bids; all amounts paid as fees to date; names of all respondents to the advertisement; all technical bid evaluation reports; all financial bid evaluation reports; all tax clearance certificates, PENCOM certificates, ITF certificates and NSITF certificates of current pre-shipment inspectors; all evidence of registration with BPP.

Others include: all evaluation reports and certificates of No Objection issued with respect to each procurement, all evaluation reports issued on the current bid process; and names of all vendors and details of the date of engagement.

While noting that the documents should be submitted to the committee on or before October 7, Mr Alabi said the directive became important as the National Assembly is empowered by the constitution to conduct enquiry into the conduct of the MDAs.

“In pursuance of the powers conferred on the National Assembly by Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as altered), which entitles the National Assembly to conduct enquiry on any matter with respect to which it has power to make laws and to enquire into the conduct of any Ministry, Department and Agency, also based on the Standing Rules of the House of Representatives and based on Section 2 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017, which empowers a Committee to call for submission of document as to the nature and activities of interest, the House Committee on Works is set to commence its statutory mandate to conduct oversight activities.

“Also based on the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives and Section 2 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017, which empowers a Committee to call for the submission of documents as to the nature and activities of interest, the House through its Committee on Works, is reviewing records of relevant MDAs, with respect to its statutory mandate to conduct oversight activities,” the letter read in part.