Reps summon Adeosun, Waziri. Agwai over SURE-P N1tr rail contracts
The House of Representatives adhoc committee on Failed Rail Contracts has summoned the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) boss, Mrs. Farida Waziri and the former Chairman of SURE-P, Lt. Gen. Martins Agwai (rtd), including 22 others to explain their roles over alleged N1trilion failed rail contracts between 2010-2014.
In a letter dated December 8, the committee summoned the principal actors who actively participated in the execution of the contracts within this period.
Those summoned are expected to appear before the Rep Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonyinma led adhoc committee on tomorrow.
Apart from the minister and the two other prominent persons expected to appear before the committee, the chief executives of firms that executed the alleged failed contracts have been summoned.
Also to appear are management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, accountant general of the federation, auditor general of the federation, chief executive of the Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility, Dr. Mark Tomlinson, director general of the
Bureau of Public Procurement, Chairman. Federal Inland Revenue Service, Minister of Budget and Planning, that of transport and others involved in the implementation of the SURE-P scheme.
According to a source, the fresh invitation by the committee is in continuation of the on-going investigation into the railway contracts scam from 2010-2014.
He said that “we are inviting them to come and give account of their stewardship on how disbursements were made to the contractors. The contractors are expected to show proof of what they have done so far with concrete evidence to the committee.
“As for the minister of finance, as you are aware, government is a continuum and she must tell us how the funds were released.”
Asked why the committee summoned the former EFCC boss, he said “we’ll like her to tell us why she failed to arrest those involved because she was alerted. What we heard is that she said there was no money to pursue the case.
“So we are seriously disturbed that a scam of such magnitude was swept under the carpet over lack of funds.”
Probed further on why the committee delayed till now before summoning all those connected to the rail contracts, the source added that “some deliberately refused to show up after the committee had invited them severally through letters.
“But this time we’ll go the extra mile as the committee is at its conclusive stage.
Our reporter reports that the House set up the adhoc committee last October via a motion sponsored by Rep Solomon Awhinawhi (PDP/Delta).
