The Senate ad-hoc committee investigating the Mounting Humanitarian
Crisis in the Northeast on Tuesday recommended the prosecution of the
suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir
David Lawal, for alleged infraction and contravention of the Public
Procurement Act 2007.
The Committee also said Lawal breached the Oaths of Office as SGF and should therefore be prosecuted by relevant authorities.
The recommendation was submitted to the Senate by the Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Senator Shehu Sani.
The
committee said, “We are of the opinion that Engr. Babachir David Lawal
has contravened the provision of Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the
1999 Constitution (As amended); the Public Procurement Act 2007 and
breach the Oaths of Office as Secretary to the Government of the
Federation and therefore should be prosecuted by the relevant
authorities.”
The committee also recommended further investigation
by relevant agencies of government on why contract benefitting
companies paid over N500 million naira into Rholavision Engineering
Limited, a company in which Lawal has interest.”
It
added: “The banks’ transactions of Rholavision Engineering Limited and
the confirmation by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that the Bank
Verification Number (BVN) of Engr. Babachir David Lawal is still the
signatory to Rholavision Engineering Limited accounts and 13 other
accounts, some with different names; the committee is of the opinion
that Engr. Babachir David Lawal has contravened the provision of Part 1
of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As amended); the Public
Procurement Act 2007 and breach the Oaths of Office as Secretary to the
Government of the Federation and therefore should be prosecuted by the
relevant authorities.”
The committee recommended that all
resources that have been misapplied or stolen by public officials should
be retrieved and anybody found culpable of contravening any of the
provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Federal
Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to the award of
these contracts should be duly prosecuted by relevant authorities.
“Relevant
agencies should ensure that contracts partially executed but fully paid
for must be completed by the concerned contractors, or asked to refund
the equivalent money of outstanding jobs to the government treasury,” it
stated.
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