The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal Ministry of Works to suspend the wholesome adoption of cement concrete for road construction in the country, pending the outcome of its investigation on the matter.
Works Minister Dave Umahi had said he got presidential approval to adopt cement concrete for Federal roads.
The House asked its Committee on Works, Environment, Finance and Judiciary to investigate the merits and demerits of using cement concrete for road construction rather than asphalt.
This followed a motion by Khadija Abba Ibrahim who raised concern over the minister’s statement that the ministry was considering adoption of concrete technology for road construction.
The lawmaker reminded the House that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, had several ongoing road projects, including those awarded under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme (RITCS) Executive Order 007 Phase II by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) valued at over Nl.4 trillion.
She recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the awards of contracts in which the Federal Ministry of Works’ Department of Highway (bridges and design) participated during the preparation for the implementation of the project.
Also, the House of Representatives is set to probe allegations of abuses, breaches, and violations of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 in the Engagement of Consultants for Pre-shipment Inspection and Monitoring of Crude Oil and Gas Exports from Nigeria.
The House also said it would investigate mining and quarry licences issued by the government in the last 15 years as well as reports from Federal Mine Officers across the states.
This followed the adoption of separate motions sponsored by Kabiru Amadu and Nkemkanma Kama during yesterday’s plenary.
Moving his motion, Amadu recalled that in line with the Pre-Shipment Inspection of the Exports Act, the President is mandated to appoint inspecting agents for pre-shipment inspection.
According to him, the President has delegated the powers to the Federal Ministry of Finance, while the Federal Ministry of Finance initiated a process of engaging pre-shipment inspectors and monitoring agents.
The lawmaker noted that as required by the Public Procurement Act, 2007 (as amended), the Federal Ministry of Finance started the process in a chaotic manner, which had clear infractions and breaches of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
Amadu said the Federal Ministry of Finance resumed the tendering process after complaints but still faced abuses and breaches of the Public Procurement Act with unresponsive companies pre-qualified and lacking basic documents.
The abuses, he said, were designed, pushed, and implemented by officials in the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Public Procurement Act, while other procurement guidelines were ignored and key provisions on conflict of interest were violated.
Kama told the House that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 operates a self-assessment regime, like the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), where the operator records his wins and gives the report to the Mines Officer of the Federal Ministry on inspection of the mines site.
He said due to inadequate manpower and other limitations, the operators underreport their wins (quantity of products extracted) to the Federal Mine officer.
According to him, the Federal Government has lost over $3 billion over the years to the anomaly.
The lawmaker cited the cases of some companies that have allegedly shortchanged the country through unpaid royalties amounting to N2.394 billion.
