By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BENIN — EDO State House of Assembly Standing Committee on Energy and Water Resources is to probe how the N50 million appropriated for the completion of abandoned electricity projects at Ikiran-Oke, Ayaran-Ikakumo in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state, was expended.

The probe is sequel to a petition to the Assembly by the chairman and secretary, Ikiran-Oke, Ayanran,  Ikakumo Electricity Completion Committee, Chief John Obasoro and Mr. Oyewole Samuel.

The communities, in the petition, alleged that the project which had attained 80 percent completion, was awarded during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, adding that the National Assembly, via a presidential directive, approved the said amount for the completion of the project in the 2012 fiscal year.

The petitioners alleged that apart from the few electric poles dumped on the site, the project contractor, Generale Ventures, since December 2012, was yet to be fully mobilised.

They equally accused Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Benin Zone, of diverting the fund to finance other projects in neigbouring states.

However, responding to questions from members of the committee, Managing Director of Benin Distribution Electricity Company, Mr. Effiong Umoren,  said the project in question was handed over to him as a new project.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Michael Ohio-Ezomo, directed Mr. Umoren to furnish the House within one week with relevant documents on the contract, adding that the Committee will embark on an assessment of the electricity project to ascertain the veracity of his claim.