The Nigerian Senate has issued a warrant for the arrest of Julius Berger’s Managing Director. This move comes after the company failed to respond to earlier summons regarding an abandoned project, despite receiving federal funds. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, emphasized the Senate’s authority to oversee the appropriation and utilization of public funds. He criticized Julius Berger for disregarding the National Assembly’s authority and prolonging discussions on the issue.
“If we have powers to appropriate, we have powers to oversight, and we also have powers to follow the money to the letter.” “So what we are going to do is that since we have summoned the company, and the company has rebuffed the summons of the National Assembly of this Senate then we should immediately take the next step of issuing a warrant of arrest to compel the Managing Director of Julius Berger to appear before the Senate Committee.”
The Senate resolved, “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has authorized the Senate President to sign a warrant compelling the Managing Director of Julius Berger to appear before the Senate Committee on Works on a stated date to be so named, and then a report to be made available thereafter to this honourable assembly, failing which we shall go further to do the needful as prescribed by the Nigerian constitution.”
The warrant requires Julius Berger’s Managing Director to provide a detailed explanation of how the disbursed funds for the road project were utilized. Failure to comply may result in additional actions as permitted by the Constitution. This development is linked to the ongoing dispute between the Federal Government and Julius Berger over the N740 billion Abuja-Kaduna Road project. The government has accused Julius Berger of delaying the project and requesting unrealistic prices. In October, the Federal Government revoked Julius Berger’s contract for the Abuja-Kaduna highway due to delays and cost irregularities. The government has emphasized its commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency in the execution of federal projects.
The Senate Committee on Works is cracking down on contractors, including Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, over delays in key road projects. During a recent investigative hearing, the committee reviewed the slow progress of projects like the Odukpani-Itu Highway, Eket Bypass, and Port Harcourt-Ahoada Road. Contractors RCC, Setraco, and Gitto were also called out for their performance issues. However, Julius Berger was singled out for ignoring the Senate’s summons to explain how they used taxpayer funds allocated for their projects.
The Senate’s patience has worn thin, and they’ve issued a warrant for Julius Berger’s Managing Director to appear before the Committee on Works. This move comes after the company failed to respond to earlier summons and even briefly mobilized to a project site before stopping work. This isn’t the first time Julius Berger has faced scrutiny. The Federal Government recently revoked the company’s contract for the Abuja-Kaduna highway due to delays and cost irregularities . The government has also accused Julius Berger of requesting unrealistic prices and employing delays that undermine progress.
Source: https://nairametrics.com
