Lagos lawmakers invite commissioner, special adviser over contracts award

The Lagos State House of Assembly has invited the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Martins Bamgbose and the Special Adviser for Public Private Partnership (PPP), Mr Ope George, to appear before it to provide information on their refusal to make recourse to the House for ratification before contracts were signed.

The lawmakers argued that many of the state agencies did not met the standard in respect of due process, saying that contracts were being signed without the House’s approval.

Sequel to Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by Hon. Nureni Akinsanya (Mushin 1), the lawmakers agreed that there is need to strengthen the House Committees to be able to check the excess of the Executive.

Speaking on the issue, Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Somolu 1), said that the main focus should be on the financial implication and ability to determine state deficit.

“It makes lending for construction of infrastructural facilities easy. Many are not known to us. They disobeyed the law that affords moderation of the projects embarked on.

“I think it is high time we did something to strengthen the respective committees to check and allowed the house to deal with it.

“The officer involved and contractors should come before the House for scrutiny,” he said.

In his view, Hon Lukmon Olumoh (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1) said that many of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have not met the standard in respect of due process.

According to him, many of them ran foul of legal provisions for contractual purposes, noting that the ratification of the House is to protect the interest of the state as well as that of the investors.

Hon. Temitope Adewale (Ifako/Ijaiye 1) noted that the ratification of the House is in the interest of the people and the state because of unforeseen circumstances that could lead to litigation, PPP project is a brilliant idea, laws made to direct the process need to be followed.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who presided over the plenary ruled that Bamgbose and George should appear before the House to avail the lawmakers with the required details that would give a clearer picture and guard against the untoward development.