Reps probe Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway procurement process

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the procurement process of the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

The House mandated its committees on Procurement and Works to investigate the procurement process of the contract for Coastal Highway and report back in a week.

This is sequel to a motion of urgent national Importance moved by Austine Achado (APC, Benue) during plenary on Thursday.

Moving the motion, Achado said the contract award did not follow due process and also did not get approval from the National Assembly.

The Lawmaker expressed concerns that the Procurement Strategy may have violated the Public Procurement Act 2007, section 40(2) which requires that where a procuring authority adopts to use Restrictive Tendering Approach, it should be on the basis that the said goods and services are available only from a limited number of Suppliers and Contractors and as such, tenders Shall be invited from all such Contractors who can provide such goods and services.

Read also: Five unanswered questions about Lagos-Calabar coastal road
He said the Procurement Strategy adopted by the Federal Ministry of Works for the award of the contract violates the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission Act 2905, as Section 4 of the Act outlines that all approved Infrastructure projects and contracts for Financing, Construction and Maintenance must be advertised for Open Competitive Public Bid, in at least three National dailies and Section 5 of the Act further clarifies that any Direct Negotiations with only one Contractor could be allowed, only after exhausting the provisions of section 4.

The Calabar-Lagos coastal road has drawn so much controversy since the first day of the project’s unveiling.

Over the weekend Atiku Abubakar, former vice president added fuel to the fire when he revealed that the president’s son Seyi is on the Board of the firm given the gigantic contract and alleged that President Bola Tinubu appears to be more concerned about lining the pocket of friends and family.

Analysts say there is a lot more about the huge deal than the government can disclose so far.

The analysts are shocked by the utter lack of transparency and empathy with which the construction is being handled.