Reps Again Summon Perm Sec, Min Of Agric

The House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development has again summoned the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, to answer questions on the ministry’s rural development activities.

This move comes after the Permanent Secretary consistently ignored invitations to appear before the committee, prompting accusations of undermining the House and the Constitution.

The Committee Chairman, Marcus Onubun at an investigative hearing in Abuja, who expressed displeasure at the Permanent Secretary’s absence gave him another opportunity to appear before the committee on May 21 and Failure to do so may result in the committee invoking the Constitution to compel his attendance.

Meanwhile, a Director in the ministry, Mr. Frank Satumari Kudla, who represented the Permanent Secretary, claimed that he was not present at the meeting to respond to questions.

However, he stated that he was there on the instruction of the Permanent Secretary, in order to avoid giving the impression that they were disrespectfully ignoring the committee.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji