Reps call for revaluation of abandoned FG’s properties, sale to occupants

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Sale of Federal Government properties, on Thursday, underscored the need for revaluation of all abandoned Federal Government’s properties across the country.

Hon Jonathan Gbwefi who presided over the investigative hearing gave the charge while addressing the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Muhammad Bello and heads of other government agencies including the Presidential Ad-hoc Committee on sale of Federal Government Properties, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), also stressed the need for government to give right of refusal to occupants of the abandoned properties.

While assuring all the stakeholders of the House resolve to address all the past wrongdoings, Hon. Gbwefi averred that: “these projects are a visual manifestation of the excesses and failure to plan effectively and execute efficiently that has hampered our national growth and development for many years.

“In seeking to account for these assets, the House of Representatives, through this Ad-hoc Committee is simply trying to rewrite past wrongs.

“This is particularly important at this time when our nation is pressed by serious financial difficulties and in dire need of creative thinking and out-of-the-box approaches to financial management and the operation of public accounts and resources,” he said.

Hon Gbefwi further assured that the committee would explore options for recovering, reviving, and revitalising the assets to the benefit of the Nigerian people.

The lawmaker said that the committee will operate with integrity and restraint, seeking only to ensure that it delivers on its assignment to the glory of God and in service to all the Nigerian people.

In his address, FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello said that all the relevant agencies of the FCT administration have been directed to provide access to all documents for the committee.

Bello said that particular emphasis is placed on policy of the sale of government assets and residential houses to occupants which was signed in 2005.

The Minister, however, acknowledged challenges in institutional memory, archival materials and the documentation process.

“17 years after this policy, quite a number of these assets are not yet sold, and as a matter of some of them are not even fully documented.

“So, in today’s hearing I want to assure you that you have the full support of the FCT administration, and throughout this hearing today and all your other engagements,” he said.

Bello said that he had delegated a team to work with the committee to ensure the mandate is achieved.

On his part, NELMCO Managing, Mr Adebayo Fagbrmi affirmed that the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has assets across the 774 Local Government Councils across the federation, adding that the assets were shared among the four succeeding agencies.

“We are here limited to what we can do as an agency, I recommend that the Committee go beyond us, we can only give what is limited to us, the assets were also shared to other agencies in the power sector,” he said.

The General Manager, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Mr Ibrahim Isiaka, cautioned the committee of the tendency of classifying work in progress as abandoned projects.

He said that such properties are not abandoned saying that there are no budgetary provisions for such properties as a result of other prioritised projects.

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Reps call for revaluation of abandoned FG’s properties, sale to occupants

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Reps call for revaluation of abandoned FG’s properties, sale to occupants