Reps probe centenary project, seek more funding against militants

• Buhari urged to be proactive on N’Delta crisis

The House of Representatives has ordered its committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to investigate the alleged irregularities in the execution of Centenary City Project, with a view to ascertaining whether it was done in line with standard procedures.

Specifically, the project was intended by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to on January 1, 2014, mark Nigeria’s 100 years of existence as a country since the amalgamation in 1914. The project was expected to be funded through the private sector.

A lawmaker, Timothy Simon Golu, in a motion on the need to investigate the alleged irregularities yesterday, which was unanimously adopted by the House, said there were reports of agitation by the original land owners of non-payment of their promised compensation.

And in a bid to check the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta, the House Committee on Navy has sued for additional funds to boost vaval operations just as they urged the Federal Government to consider supplementary appropriation for the Force to procure omore arms.

The Chairman of the Committee Abdussamad Dasuki made this known yesterday in Abuja while addressing the Chief of Naval Staff and management of the Nigerian Navy (NN).

He said: “The situation in the Niger Delta and the increasing report of Piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea deserves special attention similar to the special intervention fund provided for the fight against insurgency in the North East.”

Golu alleged that the centenary project was characterized by irregularities which according to him, may have cost billions of Naira and loss of thousands of hectares of land.

He said information available gave indication that about two billion Naira was released by the authorities to facilitate compensation to the original land owners, but that only about N300 million has allegedly been paid so far, while there had been sketchy information on another two billion Naira allocated for the resettlement of a military base, which land has been taken over for the project.

“It was to showcase Abuja as a modern city. Government was not supposed to be part of it. People were meant to be compensated. There is restiveness as there has been no compensation given. With these irregularities, I want this House to investigate it,” the lawmaker prayed.
The committee is expected to submit its findings within a month.

Dasuki who led his other colleagues in the Committee on oversight visit said: “I am constrained to urge the Federal Government to consider the presentation of a Maritime security Supplementary Appropriation Bill for immediate equipment purchase in favour of the Nigerian Navy to enable it tackle the security challenges in the Niger Delta region and the Gulf of Guinea as a whole”.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral, Ibok Ete Ibas said more than any of the other services, the NN deserves more funding for its operations.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to be proactive in addressing the Niger Delta militants’ grievances due to its volatile nature and importance to the country’s economy.