The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, initiated an inquiry into the alleged abandonment of the Gidanwaya-Guaran Dutse-Waman Rafi-Saminaka-Kano road project in Kaduna State, valued at N1.46 billion.
The PUNCH reported that the committee expressed dissatisfaction during its investigative session in Abuja as it questioned the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Dr. Yakubu Adam, over the stalled project.
The committee’s investigation centers on critical national infrastructure, particularly road projects completed over the last five years. Chairman Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun) disclosed that the project was funded by a federal government loan.
According to Salam, “Information we received from the Debt Management Office indicated the number of roads were even undertaken with loans taken by the federal government. But in particular, a particular road with the title Gidanwaya-Guaran Dutse-Waman Rafi-Saminaka-Kano road in Kaduna State awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works on the October 5, 2022 and the sum of N1.461 billion paid to Messrs Jam Jam Dynamic Platform Limited. This road was supposed to be completed within 12 months; there is an allegation that the road awarded in 2022 has not been started as we speak and there has been full payment of the sum by the Federal Ministry of Works to the contractor concerned.”
Highlighting concerns about transparency, Salam noted that despite repeated invitations, Dr. Adam had failed to appear before the committee, leading them to insist on his personal presence to address the concerns directly.
Responding to the committee, Adam clarified that the allocated funds were not for the entire 133-kilometer road but rather for a specific section, explaining that the project was divided into phases due to limited funds.
He expressed surprise that no progress had been made on the road since the ministry awarded the contract, a point underscored by the committee’s report.
Adam also apologized for his prior absence, explaining that the invitations had not reached him.
Following this, the committee instructed him to return on Monday, November 4, and submit all related project documents by Friday, November 1, to aid their examination.
In his ruling, Salam underscored the importance of timely submissions, “We asked for certain documents to be provided and we expect that you would provide us with better insight so the committee can take a decision on the best way to ascertain the truthfulness of the claim that the road has been done, while full payment has been effected to the contractor.”
The committee remains firm in its commitment to scrutinizing the issue, aiming to ensure accountability in the utilization of federal loans for infrastructure development.
