The House of Representatives in Abuja on Thursday mandated its standing committees to provide detailed report of all ongoing projects executed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
It also called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to avail the house a copy of Alhaji Bunu Sherrif’s Committee report on abandoned projects within two weeks.
This followed a motion by Rep. Leo Ogor (PDP-Delta), the Deputy leader of the house which was unanimously adopted.??????
The committees were expected to submit their reports within 60 days to prepare for the presentation of the 2013 budget to the National Assembly.
Leading the debate, Ogor noted that the National Assembly had appropriated trillions of Naira to MDAs for capital projects for the development of infrastructures in the country since 1999.
He said in spite of these huge allocations to the MDAs, there was still the dearth of infrastructure across the country which suggested that these funds had not been judiciously utilised.
Ogor stressed that unless the house took an urgent step to curtail the trend, the MDAs would continue to serve as a conduit pipe through which the nation’s resources were drained.
Rep. Toby Okechukwu (PDP-Enugu), who supported the motion, said that execution of projects in the country was characterised by lack of continuity.
He said that it was important for the house to undertake the assignment prior to when the 2013 budget would be presented to the National Assembly to identify areas of priority.
Rep. Ahmed Datti (CPC-Kaduna) said the leadership of the house should interface with the executive before the presentation of the 2013 budget to the National Assembly.
Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (ACN-Lagos) urged the Federal Government to emulate the Lagos Government on abandoned projects.
Rep. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi (PDP-Enugu) stressed the need to approach the assignment from different perspectives to ascertain the true position of the matter.
He enjoined the committees to employ their ingenuity in carrying out the assignment.
Rep. Bamidele Opeyemi (ACN-Ekiti) emphasised the need for the compilation of all ongoing and abandoned projects being undertaking by all MDAs in the country.
Opeyemi said that there was need to strengthen the National Assembly research centre to facilitate researches.
Other lawmakers who spoke in support of the motion are: Reps Patrick Ikahriale (PDP-Edo), Mustapha Khabeeb (PDP-Jigawa), Mike Umoh (PDP-Akwa Ibom), and Fotte Dike (PDP-Anambra).
Meanwhile, the house has urged the Federal Ministry of Works to prevail on Gitto Construzioni Generali Nig. Ltd to complete the abandoned Nasarawa-Loko Road project.
This resolution followed a motion by Rep. Ishaq Kana (CPC-Nasarawa), which was unanimously adopted without debate.
Kana said that the contract for the construction of the road was awarded to the company during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said that the economic and social activities of the people on this road had continued to suffer due to the deplorable state of the road.
The motion was referred to the House Committee on Works for further legislative inputs.