The Senate is to investigate the abandonment of Mararaba Mubi-Michika-Madagali road rehabilitation in Adamawa state which is threatening development of communities in the area.
This followed a motion sponsored by Sen Ishaku Abbo (Adamawa North) who drew the attention of the lawamakers that despite the payment of over N1.2 billion to Rhas Nigeria Limited two years ago to rehabilitate the road, the project has been abandoned.
Abbo who said many people have died as a result of the poor state of the road, urged the Senate to quickly intervene.
The rehabilitation of Mararaba Mubi-Michika-Madagali road which was awarded to Rhas Nigeria Limited, included the rehabilitation of three bridges disconnected by soldiers in order to fight the Boko Haram.
“Since 2017, Rhas Nigeria Limited received over N1. 2 billion in three instalment. Over two years of the contract award, despite received of mobilization fee, the project has been abandoned.
“The economic activities of Adamawa have been affected by non- rehabilitation of the road. Residents live in perpetual fear of attacks because the road is in bad shape,” Abbo said.
Seconding the motion, Abba Moro (Benue South) said accross the country, road contracts are abandoned with contractors not held to account.
“Must contractors especially the local ones get contracts just to grab what they want. We need to investigate it as a way of our legislative intervention,” Moro said.
Also speaking, Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani (Adamawa Central) said some contractors belief that contracts are given to them as a share of their national cake.
She said the company must be investigated in order to ascertain whether it has the capacity to handle such a project.
She said Rhas Nigeria Limited must be investigated and not just the federal ministry of works.
Speaking, the president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said the committee of work will investigate and find out why the project has been stopped.
The Senate, however, mandated it’s committee on works and housing to engage the federal ministry of works and housing to investigate the level of work and why the project has been abandoned and report back in two weeks.