KEMI OMONIYI
Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, says 17 years after privatisation of assets of the Federal Government, most of them are yet to be sold, accordingly.
The Minister made this disclosure when he appeared before the House of Representatives Sub-Committee on Federal Government Abandoned Properties in the Federal capital city in Abuja.
He said: “All relevant agencies of the FCTA have been directed to provide access to all documents, particularly taking into account that the policy on the sale of government assets, particularly residential houses to occupants, was signed way back in 2005.
I want to assure you that you have the full support of the FCTA,” Bello said.
He also noted that the beauty of government assets is that they do not disappear, they can be seen, touched and felt.
While declaring the hearing open, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by Rep Henry Nwawuba stated that the House will help identify Federal Government’s assets across the nation and take legislative action ensuring they are adequately put into good use for positive benefits.
He stressed that across the country, several properties belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria have been abandoned, and others severely under-utilised for many years.
“The House of Representatives has since resolved to help identify these assets and take legislative action to help ensure they are either put to good use or transferred to provide income for the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The Speaker also said that the Committee has the mandate of the 9th House of Representatives to account for these investments and come up with a plan to put these assets to good use in the interest of all our citizens.
“To achieve this mandate, this Committee requires assistance of stakeholders and citizens to provide information, context, and expertise.
“These hearings can take on an adversarial tint that often is not in the best interests of the country. I have the confidence of the chairman to assure you that the only objective of this Committee is to do what is necessary to transform these moribund assets into beneficial ventures for the people and government of Nigeria.
“Therefore, it is important that all who have a role to play in these hearings do so with decorum, dignity, and dedication to achieving the best outcome,” he said.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Committee on Federal Government Abandoned Properties in the FCT, Rep Gaza Gbefwi, said the existence of abandoned government property, valued in the hundreds of billions, left to deteriorate should trouble all our consciences.
“This is particularly important at this time when our nation is pressed by serious financial difficulties and in dire need of creative thinking and out-of-the-box approaches to financial management and the operation of public accounts and resources.”
He said that the investigative hearing will only focus on abandoned Federal Government assets in the FCT.
In his contribution, Managing Director of the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company, Adebayo Fagbemi, said assets of the company are in all the Local Government Areas of Nigeria, adding that, “the company will give the committee all necessary support to succeed.”
