The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Yakubu Kofarmata, to come and answer questions on some of the abandoned roads across the country.
The committee, at its sitting on Thursday in Abuja, particularly demanded answers on a federal road construction project allegedly abandoned in Kaduna state, valued at N1.6 billion.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said that the permanent secretary, who failed to respond to two previous invitations, must appear within five days.
Salam said that the committee was not happy with the attitude of the permanent secretary, saying that he had formed the habit of treating the committee’s invitations with levity.
“This time, it will not be business as usual,” the lawmaker said.
He said that the road construction contract, spanning 115 kilometres, was awarded to Jam-Jam Dynamic Platform Ltd. on Oct. 5, 2022 and was expected to be completed within 12 months.
Salam said that the committee required explanation on the full payment made to Jam-Jam Dynamic Platform Ltd., with no evidence of project execution.
“PAC of the House of Representatives has issued a five-day ultimatum to the permanent secretary of the federal ministry of works to show cause why a warrant of arrest should not be issued against him for failure to respond, either in writing or to appear before this constitutional committee.
“He should come and explain why a sum of N1.4 billion was paid to Jam-Jam Dynamic Platform Ltd. for the construction of Gidanwanya-Guaran, Dutse-Waman, Ravi-Saminaka-Kano road, awarded on Oct. 5, 2022, to be completed within 12 months, in full without execution of the project,” he said.
The legislator said that should the permanent secretary fail to appear or respond by Oct. 29, a warrant of arrest would be issued against him. (NAN)