Nigeria: 'No Sacred Cow in Transport Probe'

This Day (Lagos)

21 June 2008
Posted to the web 23 June 2008

Sufuyan Ojeifo
Abuja

Ahead of commencement, Monday, of the Senate probe into the transportation sector, chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri declared yesterday the committee would not treat any of the former ministers or top officials of government under investigation as a sacred cow.

He said, at a press briefing at the National Assembly in Abuja, the committee would vigorously pursue the investigation in a concerted bid to revamp the transportation sector.


According to Lokpobiri, "This is a task that is very important to the Senate and to Nigerians. No modern economy can succeed without effective transportation.

"This is because whatever you do will have to be transported. So, the public hearing is one we are going to take with absolute vigour. I want to say that there will be no sacred cows at all."

The investigation is to determine the management of funds and implementation of policies in the transportation sector from 1999 to date.

The Ad-Hoc Committee will specifically, among other things, probe the collapse of road infrastructure in the country despite the several billions of naira reportedly spent on road rehabilitations and constructions.

Those who have already been invited to appear before the Committee to defend their stewardships include former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was Works Minister from 1999 to 2002, Chief Tony Anenih; former Transport Minister, who is currently Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe; former Aviation Minister, Dr. Kema Chikwe and former Works Minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe .

Others include former Aviation Ministers, Malam Isa Yuguda , Dr. Olusegun Agagu, Professor Babalola Borisade, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and former Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Ports Authority, Chief Olabode George.

Lokpobiri threatened that the Committee would sanction anybody who refused to cooperate with it.

He expressed disappointment at the attitude of some agencies and departments in the Transport Ministry that were yet to furnish the Committee with relevant information required from them.

According to him: "This committee will, therefore, not hesitate to invoke all its powers as enshrined in the constitution and other statutes to obtain every information required, issue warrant of arrest of any person (body or body Corporate) that treat the committee with contempt and even impose such fines as deemed appropriate."

He directed that those who have not submitted their presentations/memoranda to the Committee to ensure that they do so before Monday or risk sanction.

Lokpobiri said: "This Committee, therefore, appeals to all establishments and persons who have served in the Transportation Sector from 1999 to date as a Minister, Minister of State, Chairman of Board, Permanent Secretary, Director-General/Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary of Tenders Board, or who have refused to be served letters from the Committee, or who have not received any letter from the Committee, to please make such submissions to the Committee as have been advertised in the media within three days from today (yesterday)."

He listed others who were yet to make submissions to include FERMA, Department of Finance and Account, Department of Admin and Supply, Planning Research and Statistic and other Departments in the Transport Ministry.

According to him, "I don't know what they are hiding; whatever they are hiding, the constitution of Nigeria, particularly Sections 88 and 89 have given us an unqualified power to compel anybody to produce anything we require.

"We have also asked all the relevant agencies to bring their bank statements. I think only Nigeria Shippers Council has brought its statements. I am sounding a note of warning to them (those who have not responded) that this Senate will not condone any non-compliance."

The Senate had, through a resolution on Tuesday 29th April, 2008, mandated the Ad-hoc to conduct a wholesale investigation into the activities of the Transport sector which now incorporates the activities of the former Ministry of Works, Ministry of Aviation and Ministry of Transportation .

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806230027.html





In the course of reading this news report i was literally on the floor from laughing too hard and i had to call someone to tell them the news. Yes people it is another probe with the usual rhetoric of "there will be no sacred cows" (honestly these sacred cows must be going extinct) although i was a bit disappointed that the award winning "toes will be stepped on" was not thrown in too for good measure. However what got me in stitches was the responses and media release statements in the articles given by the house members in charge of the committee, such award winning lines like transportation is important to the country because "whatever you do will have to be transported" (clap for yourself), just convinced me that what we have in the house is a bunch of illiterates and if there are any educated ones they are definately not making themselves known. If this probe seemed like it would achieve anything i would have been rejoicing, but the language and impression i got after reading the article is that this is just another committee chopping session part 2. I desperately hope to be proved wrong.  "whatever you do will need to be transported", LOOOL,  God help us all.

Another probe to serve as excuse for looting more Nigerian funds by Nigerians. I hope the report of this probe will be written in New York this time