The Senate committee on the Federal Capital Territory said yesterday that it will soon begin an investigation into all the issues relating to the Concession and privatization of some government property in the Federal Capital Territory to the tune of N2.7 billion from the two last administrations.
The Senator Dino Melaye-led comminittee described the entire process as a national disaster and leadership failure.
The committee lamented that in spite of the barrage of investments in the territory, the revenue portion on these investments stood at zero over the years since 2008.
The Senate committee said it would summon all the key players in the past governments that were responsible for the concession and privatization of these property to private individuals in the nation’s capital city. Melaye spoke yesterday when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the entire leadership appeared before the senate committee.
Melaye said the Committee would expose all those involved, even when it amounts to exhuming corpses of those that are dead. He said, ”It is worthy of note that these FCT owned companies received huge returns on investment without making returns to FCT Administration. The returns are in billions of Naira.
They are spent and re-invested without appropriation. This is contrary to the principles of accountability and due process.
“The Committee is also worried about the revenue line charge on investment income. The actual performance on This charge has zero returns over The years.”
The concession and privatization of these government property were done during former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, under Nasir El- Rufai, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar; Senator Bala Mohammed, among others. Senator Melaye said, ”Let me say that the abysmal performance of These concessioned properties in The FCT is basically a direct consequence of leadership failure. By the twilight of Thye past administrations in Nigeria, a plethora of discontentment on The exercise had reached fever pitches. We as members of This Committee will continue to bridge The meaning of our resolve with realiTies Through our oversight for effective implementation.
“Permit me to comment on some of the concessioned properties as follows:The Karu General Hospital was initially a 222-bed facility built by the FCT Administration. It is important to note that 40% of the Hospital is leased to Primus Super Specialty Hospital (an Indian HoSpital) for management. The hospital commenced operation on 19th April, 2017. “Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL) was allocated Plot 702 Cadastral Zone A00, CBD, Abuja and thereafter entered into two years Lease Agreement with leaders and company popularly called “This Day Dome Arena” in respect of the said plot. The Lease Agreement was effective from May 1, 2009. The total rent payable for the term was N97,090,284:02.
“EAGLE SQUARE AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (ICC), ABUJA. “The Committee observed that the Eagle Square and Abuja International Conference Centre were concessioned to the same company who had no evidence of previous facility management experience anywhere in the world, and without financial capacity to manage the facilities.
