Reps query investors’ competence in Abuja land swap deal

The land swap policy introduced by the former administration of President Goodluck Jonathan may have hit a brick wall in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as investors who took part in the deal may have to forfeit their investments for flouting the contract agreements.

Ripples Nigeria was reliably informed that the Herman Hembe-led House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said the project’s contractual agreement was flagrantly breached by the consultants.

The capacity and competence of the consultants were questioned by the Committee which accused the consultants of deceiving the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) with a view to getting a piece of the action.

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The Committee cited the failure of the consultants to open a mandatory dedicated account with N350m.

Hembe, who said all the consultants have questions to answer, said: “Based on the revelations by the various investors at this hearing, the whole project appeared to be done to favour certain people without considering their competence for the job.”

The position of the Committee may have been prompted by the presentation of the Managing Director of Waru Pozema District Infrastructure Company Limited (WADIC), Kenneth Eriogbe, who said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Comprehensive District Development Agreement (CDDA) were signed but that they could not meet the financial clause.

On his part, the claim of the MD of AfriInvestment Limited, Engr Ahmed Rufai Surajo, that the clause for the mandatory N300m deposit to the account dedicated to the project was done was was rejected by the Committee.

The Committee said documents at its disposal showed otherwise.

 

 

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