Reps to probe abandoned projects since 1999

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to raise an ad hoc committee to investigate all abandoned federal government projects since 1999.

The committee, when inaugurated, will also ascertain the contracts costs, periods of award, state of completion or constraints, and then report back to the House within three months for further legislative action.

The resolution was the outcome of a motion on the “need to investigate federal government’s abandoned projects from 1999 to date” by Francis Uduyok (PDP, Akwa Ibom).

Udoyok described as alarming the number of projects awarded by the federal government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) ‎from 1999, which have been abandoned.

According to him, an estimated 20,000 abandoned projects, comprising roads, bridges, hospitals, dams, among others, have received advanced payments of not less than 50 per cent amounting to billions of naira.

“I am concerned that the abandoned projects have become pipes that drain federal government’s funds in the form of inflated costs when revived.

“More so, most of the abandoned projects are currently being occupied by hoodlums and miscreants as abodes for carrying out nefarious activities,” Uduyok noted.

The lawmaker suggested a change of attitude with regard to abandoned projects, urging the government to factor them into future budgets to ensure their resuscitation and completion.