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 worth N1.46 billion.
The committee registered its displeasure during an investigative hearing on Tuesday in Abuja while quizzing the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Yakubu Adam, on the project.
The hearing concerned the inspection of critical national assets, especially roads constructed in the last five years.
The committee chairman, Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun), said 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 N1.461 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.
Mr Salam said that as a committee, they insisted that the permanent secretary appear in person to answer questions after he failed to honour several invitations.
However, in his response, the permanent secretary 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 ministry awarded the contract following the report available to the committee.
He apologised to the committee for not honouring previous invitations, saying they did not get to him.
The committee resolved that the permanent secretary must return on Monday, November 4, and submit all relevant documents related to the project by Friday, November 1.
In his ruling, Mr Salam said submitting documents on time would enable the committee to study them for a proper probe of the matter.
(NAN)