N1trn failed rail contracts: Reps summon finance minister, ex-EFCC boss, ex-Sure-P boss, 22 others

The House of Representatives has again summoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss, Mrs Farida Waziri, former Chairman of SURE-P General Martins Agwai, (retd), and 22 others, over the on going probe of alleged N1 trillion naira failed rail contracts “between” 2010-2014 by its adhoc-committee.

The fresh invitation was contained in a letter dated December 8 this year, and signed by the chairman of the ah hoc-committee, Honourable Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonyinma, urging them to appear before the committee on Tuesday, to explain their roles in the alleged failed rail contracts, running to over 1 trillion naira.

Others invited included: Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor General of the Federation, Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS), Minister for Budget and Planning, Mr Adeseyi Sijuwade, former MD.NRC, Former Chairmen SURE-P, General Martin Luther Agwai, Ambassador Christopher Kolade, former Heads of Secretariat SURE-P Dr Suleiman, Mr Badamasuly, former Secretary SURE-P, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, former Railway Convener SURE-P, Chike Okogwu, Sam Ohuambunwa, Mr Eric Onyiewu, former Chairman, Project Implementation Unit of Federal Ministry of Transportation for all SURE-P Railway Projects, former DG.BPP, Professor Kunle Ade-Wahab, Mr Eneja Ezeh, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, former Minister  of Transportation.

The rest are MD T.E.A.M Nigeria Limited, MD Ansaldo-A3&O limited, Mr Sameh Abdulaziz, Mr Adewale Adeyinka, MD CCECC and CRCC construction company limited.

MD Kintech Nigeria Limited, MD Westgate Projects Ltd, Mr Gbenga Akindele, MD Nigeria Railway Corporation, Mr Fidet Okhiria, Mr Ben Iloanusi, MD Eco Project, Mr Eric Onyiewu, MD Eser West Africa Limited,(Mr Tukur Karaduman, Mr Ilhan Adiloglu, Mr Can Adiloglu), MD Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility, and Dr Mark Tomlinson, Government Inspector of Railway.

A source close to the committee told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Sunday, that the fresh invitation “is in continuation of the on-going investigation into the railway contracts scam from 2010-2014.”

According to the source, “We are inviting them again to come and give account of their stewardship, on how disbursements were made to the contractors.

“The contractors are expected to show proof of what they have done so far with concrete evidence to the committee.

“As for the Minister of finance, as you are aware, government is a continuum and she must tell us how the funds were released.

On the summon extended to the former EFCC boss, the source  said, “we’ll like her to tell us why she failed to arrest those involved, because since available records before the committee clearly revealed that  she was duly informed about the ugly development then.

“What we heard is that she said there was no money to pursue the case. So we are seriously disturbed that a scam of such magnitude was swept under the carpet, over lack of funds to pursue its investigation.”

When probed further on why the committee delayed till now, the source said, “Some deliberately refused to show up after the committee had invited them severally through letters.

“But this time the Committee will go the extra mile to make those being invited to appear this time around, as the committee is at its conclusive stage.