Appear before Committee on Thursday, Lagos Assembly tells Waterfront Commissioner

Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Arch Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi

The Commissioner for Waterfront, Arch. Kabiru Abdullahi has been asked by the Lagos State House of Assembly to appear before its committee on Thursday over his Ministerial activities.

The Motion was moved by the Chairman of the Committee on Waterfront, Hon. Jimoh Wahab at the plenary Session on Tuesday.

Hon. Wahab described as unacceptable the Commissioner’s incessant refusal of an invitation extended to him by the Committee.

He said the commissioner had been invited severally to provide some clarifications over his ministerial activity but did not show up till now.

According to the chairman, the commissioner is making the assignment difficult for the committee.

Wahab noted that his ministry is yet to submit documents for the ongoing budget mid-year review.

He, therefore, prayed the house to give the committee the privilege to carry out an investigation on the activities of the commissioner and the ministry since his assumption of office.

“I want to bring the unacceptable conduct of the Commissioner for Waterfront before the house.

“Severally, the committee has invited him for some clarification over his ministerial activity but yet to show up.

“He is making the assignment of the committee so difficult.

“As you all know, The mid-year budget review is going on and as of present, the document has not been submitted to the committee.

“I would implore the house to give the committee the privilege to carry out an investigation on the activities of the commissioner and the ministry since his assumption of office.” He said.
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Representing Alimosho Constituency 1, Hon. Bisi Yusuf stated that it is not good for those who come to the house for confirmation to become overlords thereafter.

Yusuf, therefore, prayed that the committee should be given the necessary wherewithal to ensure that the right thing is done and the image of the house is not trampled upon.

“It is not good for those who come to the house to obtain confirmation and thereafter become an overlord.

Hon. Abiodun Tobun described the commissioner’s act as an aberration, unacceptable and prejudiced to the constitution.

He, therefore, pleaded with the house to allow the committee to invite him for questioning.

“If what Hon Wahab said is the truth, I think it is an aberration, unacceptable and prejudice to the constitution.

“I want to plead that the house allows the Committee to invite him again,” Tobun said.

Hon. Victor Akande noted that there is no ambiguity in the constitution regarding the powers of the house towards oversight functions.

Victor urged the house to invoke sections of the constitution on the commissioner.

“There is no ambiguity in the constitution regarding the powers of the house towards oversight functions.

“We should invoke sections in the constitution on the commissioner,” he said.

In his ruling, The Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa appealed to the House to give the Commissioner till Thursday to present himself with all the necessary documents before the committee.

“I want to appeal to the chairman of the committee to give him Commissioner Kabiru Ahmed to appear before the committee on Thursday.

“He should come with all the necessary documents,” he said.

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