An Ad-hoc Committee setup by the House of Representatives to look into disposal of public property has commenced investigation into the Federal Ministry of Water Resources over its disposal of assets belonging to 12 River Basin Development Authority in 2018.
Six key agencies on Monday, September 4, 2023, appeared before the committee after they were summoned to clarify the role they played in the sale of public assets at their disposal.
The invited agencies are the Nigeria Ports Authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Nigeria Customs Service, Anambra/Imo River Basin Development Authourity, Osun River Development Authourity and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
The Managing Directors of the River Basin Development Authority, RBDA, who appeared before the committee said the Ministry of Water Resources took charge of the disposal of the property because the agency had no governing boards in 2018.
They also stated before the committee that the ministry advertised and selected auctioneers who disposed off the assets, adding that it would in the place of the ministry to provide answers to some of the questions raised by the committee.
Julius Ihonbvere, a house member representing Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State, who is the Chairman of the committee faulted the submissions of the Managing Directors, stressing that the committee was left with no option but to invite the ministry.
“I want to assure you for now that we are not very satisfied and that is because you did not preside over this process. We are not satisfied with the disconnects in some of the documents; we will require that you come back after we deduce some of those documents directly from the ministry on behalf of your agencies. We will also invite the ministry to deal with us directly,” he said.
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