Nigeria: Contract Scam Rocks Reps

A major crisis is brewing in the House of Representatives over the award of N628milion contract by Speaker Patricia Etteh to renovate her official residence and that of her deputy, Hon Babangida Nguroje.

The controversial renovation contract was blown open last weekend, just as spirited efforts made by some federal lawmakers to deny celebration of Etteh's birthday in Maryland, United States of America [USA] drew the ire of chairman of Air Force committee, Hon Halims Agoda, who vowed to instigate a probe into the mode of the contract.

Spokesman of the House, Hon Dino Malaiye had last week denied the birthday ceremony and justified the contract, saying that it passed through the normal process and with the knowledge of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.

He said N238.8 milion was spent on the renovation of the speaker's residence. Insisting that he would call for a probe into the contract, Agoda said that there was no way the president would get himself involved in such a frivolity he vowed yesterday to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion when the House resumes early next month from its- seven weeks recess.

"I read it as part of the report that the president of the country is aware of the approval of the contract. That is arrant nonsense. The President of a country has no right to approve whatever thing that comes to the National Assembly. The President cannot dabble into our pool. What the President normally does is to direct the release of our money, not to get himself involved in the approval of item by item." Agoda said that the Etteh leadership faced a moral burden to defend using N628milion to renovate a building that was renovated two years ago in an administration that preaches transparency and accountability, adding that the building was owned by the FCDA and not property of the National Assembly.

To salvage the image of the House that has been battered, Agoda vowed that the award of the contracts would be probed when the House resumes from its holiday, insisting that it was wrong on the part of the leadership to spend the money belonging to the House without due process. "Some of us will take the gauntlet to fight for the investigation of that publication, because in the first place, using N628m to renovate a standing house is unbelievable even if you are to build a new house, must it consume such a whopping sum of amount?

"I read too that the money was attached to capital votes, now, I am aware that when we were passing the capital votes, the capital votes of the House of Reps were tied to specific headings and if this money is to be swapped from one heading to another, it must be through virement and no virement whatsoever has been made."

Agoda also faulted the process the contract went through, saying that a contract of such magnitude should be published in journals and not on the notice board of the National Assembly as done by the management.

"It is not a contract of N10 million, so, I am deeply surprised that it's happening in an era of transparency and accountability. So I still believe that it is not correct. We have a moral crisis if the issue is true, we will call for investigation. I have been here, we built this House of Reps with all our efforts and so, nobody will come here and pull it down," he pointed out.

Agoda said that for Madam Speaker to take her birthday bash to the US was uncalled for at a time the nation was settling down, adding that the nation was blessed with leisure places such as Obudu Cattle Ranch, Mambilla Plateau to have such a party.

Instead of engaging in frivolities, Agoda advised Speaker Etteh to re-order her priorities so that she could build on the solid foundation laid by her predecessors, Na'Abba and Masari. Etteh presided over a 40 minutes meeting of the management of the House on July 12, 2007 to award the contract for the renovation of her official residence and that of her deputy and the purchasing of vehicles on their convoy.At the meeting with the Speaker and her deputy were the Chief Whip, Deputy Leader, Chairman of Ad-hoc committee on Welfare, who is now Chairman of Appropriation Committee, Wale Adegoke, Clerk of the National Assembly, Ibrahim Arab, his deputy, Acting Clerk of the House, Directors of Works, Legal Services, Finance and Supplies.