The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday opened an investigation into the alleged abandoned Gidanwaya-Guaran Dutse-Waman Rafi-Saminaka-Kano road project in Kaduna state, which is worth ₦1.46 billion.
The committee registered its displeasure during an investigative hearing on Tuesday in Abuja, during which it quizzed the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Works, Dr Yakubu Adam, on the project.
The hearing was on the inspection of critical national assets especially roads that were constructed in the last five years. The Chairman of the committee Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun) said that the money for the project was a loan by the Federal Government.
“Information we received from the Debt Management Office indicated the number of roads were even undertaken with loans taken by the federal government.
“But in particular, a particular road with the title Gidanwaya-Guaran Dutse-Waman Rafi-Saminaka-Kano road in Kaduna state awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works on October 5, 2022, and the sum of ₦1.461 billion paid to Messrs Jam Jam Dynamic Platform Limited.
“This road was supposed to be completed within 12 months; there is an allegation that the road awarded in 2022 has not been started as we speak and there has been full payment of the sum by the Federal Ministry of Works to the contractor concerned,” he said.
Salam said that as a committee that believes in equity, they insisted that the permanent secretary appear in person to answer questions after he failed to honour several invitations.
However, the permanent secretary in his response explained that the amount was not for the entire stretch of the road which is 133km. He explained that the money was only for a portion of the road saying that the road was to be done in phases due to paucity of funds.
The official, however, expressed surprise that the road had not been done since the contract was awarded by the ministry following the report available to the committee. He apologised to the committee for not honouring previous invitations saying that they did not get to him.
The committee resolved that the permanent secretary must return on Monday, November 4 and must submit all relevant documents related to the project by Friday, November 1.
In his ruling, Salam said that submission of documents on time would enable the committee to study them for a proper probe of the matter.
“We asked for certain documents to be provided and we expect that you would provide us with better insight so the committee can take a decision on the best way to ascertain the truthfulness of the claim that road has been done, while full payment has been effected to the contractor,” he added.