The Oyo State House of Assembly has rejected the report of its Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on the investigation of the payment and disbursement of funds for the construction of a 10,000MT 4-Bin Silo and supply of combine silo equipment project in Awe Road, Oyo.
The report, which was presented to the House during today’s plenary session by Hon. PG Ojedokun was deemed inconclusive and lacking in crucial details.
According to lawmakers, the report failed to adequately address the mandate given to the committee to investigate whether or not the contractor, Rahvet International Limited, paid monies to the expatriate Chinese company involved in the project.
This critical aspect of the investigation was not sufficiently explored, leading to concerns about the report’s comprehensiveness.
Furthermore, the House questioned the recommendation for an additional N360,394,440 to complete the project, describing it as “proprietorial” and lacking justification.
Lawmakers expressed concerns about the contractor’s ability to manage funds and the potential for further abuse of public resources.
Another point of contention was the committee’s recommendation that the Auditor-General should contact the expatriate contractor to verify claims regarding remittance and cooperation.
The House felt that this approach undermined the committee’s mandate for independent investigation and could compromise the integrity of the inquiry.
In light of these concerns, the House resolved to transfer the assignment to its Committee on Finance, Appropriation, and State Economic Planning for a comprehensive review of the project.
The new committee has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation, including examining materials already purchased by the contractor and other relevant aspects of the project.
The Speaker while ruling on the rejection of the report, said the development was to ensure transparency and accountability in the execution of government contracts.