By Mary Bassey, House of Assembly Correspondent
The Cross River State House of Assembly says the House will issue arrest warrants to former Governor Ben Ayade’s commissioners and appointees who fail to appear before the house to account for ten billion Naira of heavy-duty equipment procured during the last administration.
The Assembly in one voice, disclosed this during plenary on Monday in Calabar, where it also set up a nine-member Special Committee headed by the Deputy Majority Leader and member representing Abi State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Davis Etta and eight others to recover government-owned heavy-duty equipment.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, charged the Committee to invite all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) involved and their heads to offer public explanations on the heavy-duty equipment procured by the last administration of Senator Ben Ayade.
Ayambem maintained that irrespective of the status and position of such persons in society, the Committee must carry out its duty diligently.
He reiterated the 10th Assembly’s resolve to put things in the right perspective, noting that the investigation will go around to all other MDAs.
“Engage them properly, anyone involved, nobody is exempted,” he warned
The Speaker directed those to be invited to include; Mr. Pius A. Edet, Commissioner of the Ministry of Works; Ntufam Emmanuel Annom, Commissioner of Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery Development and Mr. Johnson Ebokpo Jnr., Commissioner of Ministry of Crops and Irrigation Development, as well as, Mr. Odey Chicha, Vehicle Recover Committee.
Others are Mr. Robert and Mr. Charles Inah, both of Cross River State Agricultural Development Projects.
Also to appear are Mr. Paul Iboro, former Commissioner of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Hon. Dane Osim Asu, former Commissioner of the Ministry of Works.
The House also deliberated on a report of the Chairman, Finance and Appropriation and Member representing Yakurr 1 State Constituency, Hon. Cyril James Omini, who maintained that heavy-duty equipment procured for about ten(10) billion Naira by the Ayade’s administration, can not be accounted for, adding that the State stands the risk of losing them.
Members while reacting to the report, stressed that the refusal by those invited to appear and offer public explanations without excuse would be viewed as gross disobedience and vowed to issue arrest warrants to anyone who may choose to disregard the second invitation.
Meanwhile, the serving Commissioner for Works, Mr. Pius A. Edet, who honored the invitation told the House that, after his inauguration, he was handed a list of thirty Seven (37) heavy-duty equipment that are yet to be properly verified and ascertained as property of the State.
The lawmakers frowned at the situation where State-owned properties are scattered everywhere.
The House also vowed to recover all contractual funds accrued to the hiring of the heavy-duty equipment from all those involved.
They commended Governor Otu for the good work so far in the State, assuring that the equipment, when recovered will complement the effort of the Government.
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