HOR To Probe Ministry Of Water Resources Over Assets Disposal

The House of Representative ad hoc Committee on the Disposal of Public Property is to investigate the Federal Ministry of Water Resources over the disposal of assets belonging to the 12 River Basin Development Authority in 2018

Managing Directors of the River Basin Development Authorities in the country who appeared before the committee on Monday said the Ministry was responsible for sale of property in 2018 because the agencies had no Governing Board.

The leadership of the RBDA told the committee that the Ministry were. Responsible for the advertisement and selection of Auctioneers who were responsible for that auction of the properties, saying most of the questions about the auction can only be answered by the Ministry.

The Chairman of the committee and House Leader, Professor Julius Ihonbvere said the committee was not satisfied with the explanation from the Managing Directors, adding that the Committee has no choice than to invite the Ministry.

The House Leader said the committee is out to investigate alleged illegal auctioning of government property by Nigeria Ports Authority, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Railway Corporation, River Basin Development Authority, and Nigeria Customs.

According to him, the committee will rely on the relevant sections of the Constitution, the Standing Orders of the House and inherent jurisdiction of the National Assembly to achieve it mandate.

“In the course of this work, we have written letters to all the agencies concerned requesting for information on the subject matter, and many of you did not bother to respond to our letter.

“As the representatives of the Nigerian people we will deploy all constitutional means to ensure that we achieve the mandate of the House,” he said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Lower Niger Basin Development Authority, Dr Adeniyi Aremu said he and other colleagues were appointed in 2018, adding that that the process of auctioning of the items in their custody had already commenced before the assumed duty.

He explained that the auction process began in 2017 and that because the authorities did not have boards at the time, the process was conducted by the Ministry of Water Resources.

Aremu said that documents on the process that are in the possession of the agency had been submitted to the committee, while the entire details of the process are with the ministry who conducted and presided over the auction process.

Oduyemi Odumade,Edited By Shakirat Alabi