The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development claims to have has spent N18.9 billion on clearing bush land preparation and other land-related projects as part of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Wole Oke who is chairman of the Public Account Committee of the House of Representatives Committee (PAC) The ministry revealed this when responding to a question on how it spent the amount.
The Agric Ministry is the focus of an investigation of the House committee into an N18.9 billion contract to pay for clearing bush, making the ground, and rebuilding soil plant laboratories in the lockdown of COVID-19 in 2020.
In the words of Oke, "During the lockdown of the nation due to COVID-19, certain firms signed contracts for N18 billion for clearing bush by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to fund the preparation of land as well as rehabilitation of the soil plant labs and other. We are not able to shave our heads when they are not there.
We've invited them to give us their side of the story by addressing the issues and showing us the areas they're required to clear. They must take us to the areas they have cleared.
We have been in touch with ministers of agriculture and they've submitted (a) request. However, some of our members from the areas where they were supposed to serve doubted the legitimacy of these projects. In order to ensure (a) an open hearing we've invited those companies who won the contract to inform the committee when and where the work was completed."
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