Reps to probe 6 ministries - Over alleged billion naira frauds

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 21.12.2007

THE House of Representatives is to commence the next legislative year with a probe of about six ministries said to have perpetrated fraud running into several billions of naira.

The House Committee on Public Procurement and Due Process is to conduct investigation into the fraud said to have been perpetrated through evasion of due process by their respective officials.

The House Committee Chairman on Due Process, Honourable Bernard Udoh, who made this known in Abuja in an interview with Nigerian Tribune, said he would name the ministries involved before the commencement of their probe in January.

According to him, the committee would invite representatives of the ministries involved for questioning to determine the extent of fraud allegedly committed by each of them.

He said those found culpable would be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.

“We have the right to oversee the ministries and determine how the government resources should be managed. It is our responsibility as lawmakers to curb fraud in the government circles.

And in fighting corruption, we should not leave the government alone to it. All of us must be involved. This is why we must get to the root of the fraud in the ministries and take necessary action.”

He said his committee had already obtained necessary documents and data on the pattern of fraud in the ministries involved and was prepared to expose any government functionaries found culpable.

Shedding light on the nature of the fraud, Udoh said the suspected ministries were in the habit of calling for contract bids at odd periods in the year and had in the process been shunning due process in the award of contracts for selfish motives.

The chairman had earlier warned the ministries and parastatal agencies to stop advertising contracts, as the fiscal year was about ending, adding that top bureaucrats in the ministries had in the past been exploiting the loopholes in the process of contract award to rip off the government of huge sums of money.

During the week, President Umaru Yar’Adua had ordered all the ministries to return all unspent money in their possession to the coffers of the Federal Government while he equally directed the ministries to stop awarding last minute contracts.