Reps Summon Ministers, AGF, HoS Over Mass Transit Failure

House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the failure of the federal mass transit scheme in the country has invited the ministers of finance, Wale Edun and his trade and investment counterpart, Doris Uzoka-Anite to account for the failure of the scheme.

The committee which extended the invitation at its resumed sitting yesterday, also summoned the accountant-general of the federation, Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein and head of service of the federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan to appear for questioning.

The committee’s chairman, Victor Ogene said the panel’s decision to invite the ministers and other top government officials was to enable it to have requisite information regarding previous mass transit schemes, particularly disbursement.

Ogene said the committee was yet to get the necessary documents to properly carry out its investigation, hence the ministries, departments and agencies responsible must appear with them on Monday and Tuesday next week.

“Additionally, the clerk of this committee is to invite the managing director of the Infrastructure Bank to appear on the same day and time,” he said.

Ogene also asked the National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Road Transport Employers of Nigeria to appear before the committee.

The chairman warned the concerned MDAs and bodies not to treat the panel’s invitation with levity, stressing that failure to come would incur the wrath of the parliament by invoking its legislative power.

He said: “Let me warn that this invitation is not frivolous, this is an invitation extended to them by the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“And if for any reason, any of them fail to honour this invitation, we shall invoke the full power of this committee as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” he said.

Officials of the Abuja Investment Company Limited and National Union of Road Transport Worker had earlier appeared before the committee and made suggestions on how to stop the recurring failure of the scheme.