Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and his Deputy, Atiku Abubakar, will soon appear before the House of Representatives Power and Steel Committee probing the $16 billion spent on the power sector during the Obasanjo years.
Also to appear are former Senate Presidents, Ken Nnamani and Adolphus Wabara; former House Of Representatives Speakers, Umar Ghali Na’Abba and Aminu Bello Masari; as well as others who held strategic positions in the sector or who knew what transpired.
Committee Chairman, Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, confirmed this on Tuesday when he spoke with journalists after he and other members of the committee visited Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, in Calabar.
“We are not just talking about (Obasanjo); there are some other people who will be invited, those who chaired positions when money was appropriated, like former House Speakers, former Senate Presidents, former Vice President and others,” Elumelu explained.
He said those who think the probe will go the way of others which never produced any results should “wait and see our recommendations.”
He urged Nigerians to be patient as the task of the committee will be “long, painstaking, and thorough.”
Imoke noted that the probe is in the nation’s best interest as it will expedite action on projects.
Said he: “These projects are important, they are designed to bring relief to our people not just in Cross River but across the entire country. And, as such, it is imperative that they be completed.
“I believe that after your exercise you will be better placed to sanction those who have not performed and of course to commend those who have done well at the same time. Those who have failed to perform or who have performed below standard should be queried because the projects have been on for some time, whatever challenges the projects may face.
“Through this exercise we will be able to make recommendations towards addressing those challenges.
“The work that the committee is doing is very important to this country. We are particularly pleased that the committee has deemed it fit to go round and visit the various projects. It will afford the committee members a first hand opportunity to see what is actually going on and to make assessments.
“For us in Cross River State, where a number of these projects are located, it is our hope and belief that with what the committee is doing it will only facilitate the completion of this project to the benefit of the good people of the state.”
Also on Tuesday, the committee found out that the Federal Government has overpaid the contractors of the Marubeni power project by N224 million.
The discovery came as the committee members visited the site, where they saw that only excavation work has been done since February 2006 when the contract was awarded.
Project Manager of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) of Marubeni, Derek Charmanhe, confirmed the over payment, and regretted that the work could have progressed but for the government’s insincerity on the topography of the site.
He gave a new completion schedule of the 551MG switch station as January next year, as the rainy season is setting in, and the contractor needs “another dry season.”
Charmanhe regretted that the contractor has been overpaid, saying the local value of the job is N19.5 billion and not the N19.8 billion paid to the contractor.
He confirmed to the lawmakers that the Federal Government does not owe the contractor a kobo on the project, which completion level he put at 30 per cent.
He attributed the delay to logistics and environmental problems, such as consistent blasting of rocks at the site, and rain.
According to Charmanhe, the construction of a power station in Calabar would be completed soon, as all the equipment has been stored in a warehouse at the Calabar Port.
The legislators were piqued that the payment of N18 million compensation to the people of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State is causing delay in the take off of the 132 kV substation contract.
They discovered an empty site despite the claim by the contractor, Messrs Hoquado Nigeria, that it has done 20 per cent of the project which costs N7,589806,356.80. The government has paid N5,439,037,067.49.
Hoquado Nigeria argued that the government awarded the contract without providing for compensation to the local residents, recalling how youths have denied them access to the site, demanding N18 in compensation.
However, Elumelu questioned the contractor’s sincerity, noting that it has collected about 70 per cent of the contract value with nothing to show for it.
Imoke commended the decision of the panel to inspect NIPP sites.
He said the people of the state have been hoping that an early completion of power contracts would bring relief.
He demanded sanction against defaulting contractors, and charged the panelists to recommend how to address the challenges in the power sector.
A 330/132KV transmission substation contract in Calabar is also experiencing delay, caused by the lack of technical expertise of the contractor, MBH Power Company.
The consultant engineer, Abdullahi Jimoh, told the lawmakers that the contract was quoted only on paper, alleging that the contractor did not conduct geophysical survey before collecting payment.
The cost of the contract is �8.9 million (N2,136 billion), out of which the contractor has been paid N461 million.
Representatives of the council where the contracts are sited urged the Federal Government to ensure the speedy completion of the projects that are intended for the good of the community and the state.
Their Spokesperson, Bassey Asuquo, who is Onim Ankiong Clan Chairman, lamented that progress on the projects in Calabar has been very slow since they were initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in March 2006.
Aso Rock is favourably disposed to using the oral and documented evidence unearthed by the probe panel to prosecute those who have cases to answer.
Messy details of massive corruption running into billions of Naira have emerged from the probe, and while President Umaru Yar’Adua has kept mute and remained indifferent, it was learnt on Tuesday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Attorney General and Justice Minister, Michael Aondoakaa, have been given the free hand to do their jobs as appropriate.
A source in the Presidency said Aondoakaa or the relevant agencies may not wait for the report of the committee before prosecuting suspects.
The Attorney General General’s office and the agencies have their officials at the daily sittings of the panel to gather evidence to be used during possible prosecution.
The source said even if the House does not make the report of the committee available to the executive, the Ministry of Justice would go ahead with its plan to prosecute people who have cases to answer.
“It is now that Nigerians will see the real war against corruption. We are going to use what people said during the probe against them,” the source stated.
“Aondoakaa is poised to show Nigerians how a genuine war against corruption can be fought. Nobody who has a case to answer from that probe will be left out”.
Apr32008