…Set up 14-man c’ttee to probe him
…Observe one minute silence for late Maitama Sule

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA — The House of Representatives, yesterday, summoned Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to answer to the allegations that it messed up with his ministry’s 2017 budget and slashed appropriations for critical infrastructure projects.

Consequently, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, set up a 14-man committee headed by Aliyu Madaki from Kano State to handle the investigation.

It will be recalled that there had been running verbal war between the minister and the National Assembly over the budget, which had been assented to by Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Fashola

Coming under matters of urgent public importance at plenary, Ibrahim Sadiq from Adamawa State recalled that in the passing weeks, the media had been awashed with unsavory comments by Fashola against the legislators.

He regretted that the minister abandoned the official channels of communication and took to the street to square up against them.

He said: “The Minister of Works has been talking about the issues that have been rested. The minister is not a spokesperson of the judiciary, therefore, he has no powers to speak on an already assented budget.

“The minister has abandoned official channels of communication to the legislature. This budget has been signed by the Acting President and it has become a law. I pray that this House will summon the Honorable Minister to appear before a committee of this House and answer for the bridge and inciting Nigerians.”

Also speaking, the Chief Whip of the House,  Ado Doguwa, said the integrity of the legislative institution had been greatly injured by the minister.

According to him, Fashola has by his action, incited the people against the federal lawmakers who had dutifully executed their constitutional mandate on their budget.

He, therefore, called for sanctions against the minister.

Meanwhile, the House earlier noted the death of formal Minister of Mines and Power, Alhaji Maitama Sule, and observed one minute silence in his honour.

On another plank, the House was urged to fashion out measures to de-congest Nigerian prisons.

The advocacy was made by the Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajagbiamila, on Matters of Personal Explanation.

Speaking to journalists, Aliyu Madaki (APC Kano State) said Alhaji Sule would be greatly missed by Nigerians for the unifying roles he played.

He also supported the call for a new set of measures to de-congest the prisons.

One of the ways the lawmaker suggested, was to subject inmates to community service where they would be made to sweep the streets and de-silt drainages.

According to him, a situation where an inmate is made to embark on community service in areas they are known will have more impact on their reformation.

Noting that the community service was the system in advanced countries, Madaki bemoaned the Nigerian prisons system, saying it was inhuman and unhygienic.

He noted that having over 100 persons packed in a room meant for 20 persons was condemnable.