JOHN NWOKOCHA examines the House of Representatives report on allegation of irregularities, and corruption in the centenary city dreams as well as alleged impunity, bias in the probe
Last week, precisely Monday, March13, stakeholders, comprising civil society organisations, promoters of the Centenary Legacy project, representatives of House of Representatives Committee on FCT, monarch and original inhabitants of the Kuje Area Council and members of the public converged on Abuja, for citizen public hearing on land issues in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to review some fresh issues surrounding the centenary city project and land swap.
The one-day Public Hearing once again created a window of interventions by civil society organisations to raise further fundamental issues that might help to protect stakeholders and public interests at large as well as put paid to subsisting doubts about objectives of the project.
Expectedly, the SAY NO CAMPAIGN-NIGERIA, convener of the meeting, appropriately tagged the theme of the public hearing: Land swap, centenary city project. Setting the tone for discussion, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, of the Centre for Democracy and Development and chairman of the panel of discussants, in his remarks urged participants to have an open mind in evaluating the issues not only in the interest of the natives but also in the overall interest of Nigerians.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, convener of meeting, appealed to the promoters of the project and the National Assembly to ensure success of the project in the interest of the general public.
Speaking at the event, managing director of the Centenary Project Plc, Dr. Odenigwe Ike Michaels, said that the management had paid full compensations to affected natives, adding “there is no controversy about the centenary city project. There is no issue with compensations and there is no issue with the natives”.
However, Michaels disclosed that the only friction the management encountered so far was with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). He said categorically: “FCDA has worked to subvert the project, because it feels excluded from the project. The FCDA says that 5% equity agreement is not enough, so they are demanding for more than 5% equity”.
But one of the contentious issues initially was whether the area earmarked for the project was under the restricted zone by Nigeria Export Processing Free Zone Authority (NEPZA). Indeed, the free zone status of the project generated unprecedented debates, with the Chairman of board of NEPZA, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, claiming that project fell under the exclusive control of NEPZA. Refuting the claim, Michaels disclosed that on October10, 2014, the NEPZA conveyed to the then President Jonathan of the free zone status to be known as centenary economic city, Abuja. And, on May22, 2015, an official gazette was forwarded to the management of centenary city plc.
The monarch, Gomo of Kuje, along with a youth leader corroborated the managing director on the issue of compensations, saying that till date, the natives had been paid compensations and urged all the interested parties to come to an understanding that will help to fast track the project.
Surprisingly, a day after the public hearing, news reports to the effect that the House of Representatives directed the Code of Conduct Bureau and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate and prosecute former senate president and immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, and other promoters of the Centenary City, Abuja, for their roles in the acquisition of land for the controversial project made the rounds.
This decision was adopted on the floor of the House after the Committee on FCT, which investigated the controversies and alleged irregularities surrounding the project, delivered its report.
Also recommended for prosecution alongside Anyim, are former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, as well as Paul Oki and Boma Ozobia, who are the directors of Centenary City Plc.
In the same vein, the House resolved that the company’s right of occupancy should be revoked, the land returned to the original owners and public funds spent on the project be returned to government coffers.
It would be recalled that the House set up an Ad hoc committee on the Centenary city project headed by Hon. Herman Hembe, also chairman of House committee on FCT, to investigate the allegation of corruption and sundry irregularities surrounding the project. The committee commenced the public hearing on a dramatic note.
Before it could make public its report, Hon. Linus Okorie, a member of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, persuaded the House to reject the report on grounds of bias, confirming Ayim’s fear over lack of fair hearing. “Rather, Mr Chairman unilaterally insisted that he would continue with the public hearing and proceeded accordingly”. Okorie stated in a media report recently.
Blueprint recalls that at the first public hearing on February 3, 2017, Anyim, who was accompanied by many senators, sought leave to make an observation before the investigative hearing could proceed. He expressed reservations over the manner of invitation stating that it was wrong, since as a former Senate President he could only be invited by the Clerk of the National Assembly, not a Committee’s Clerk.
Secondly, that “when the former DG of Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused the Chairman of demanding bribe from her, he (Hon. Hembe) pushed for her sack and he as SGF refused to do so. That it was his feeling that Hon. Hembe is organising the investigative hearing as a way to get back at him for refusing to heed his plea for the sack of the former DG”.
Thirdly, that “the chairman tried to get the Managing Director of Centenary City Plc. (CCPLC) to come and see him privately. And that it was after all the Chairman’s efforts to get the Managing Director to come and see him privately failed that the public hearing was scheduled”.
In view of all these, Ayim said that he was convinced that the chairman has a ‘deep-seated’ personal interest and bias in this matter and so, was not in a position to guarantee fair hearing to himself, the Centenary City management and indeed to the entire subject matter.
Ayim, therefore demanded that the chairman disqualify himself and give way for the vice chairman to take over and continue with the hearing.
To observers, the drama that played out aside, the critical question is how public was the public hearing. The chairman, rather than consider the demand, in the ensuing scenario he did not only retort that he would continue with the hearing, he proceeded to preside over it. Where does this leave the public? To the average Nigerian, the entire drama is akin to the saying, more than meet the eye.
Alluding to the endorsement of the project by President Muhammadu Buhari, Michaels, while responding to a question on sources of the compensation said investors’ funds formed bulk of the money used to settle the original owners with a total compensation of N1, 410,178, 599.59.
He disclosed that the centenary resettlement scheme with the construction of 671 housing units of various types and infrastructure was progressing steadily at a total budget of N5.875bn to date
The centenary Legacy Project valued for $18.3 billion with the aim of building a model housing units by the private sector in Abuja, intended to replicate the model found in places like Dubai in United Arab Emirates, Songdo International Business District in South Korea, King Abdullah Economic City, in Saudi Arabia, to mention but a few.
The promoters hoped to integrate contemporary demands and future expectations into a working scheme that will allow the city to develop in a sustainable and socially responsive manner.
The project earmarked to occupy a size of land measuring approximately 12644.78 hectares was embarked upon by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2014, in celebration of 100 years of Nigeria as a united country.
Also according to the promoters the idea is to build a modern city that will drive a revolutionary approach to urbanization in Africa, by the end of its 10 year development cycle. Had the project continued would have created over 150,0000 construction jobs and 250,000 permanent jobs. But beyond providing housing for over 200. 000 people, the project can go a long way to addressing the oft touted 17 million housing deficit in the country. In moving forward, all interested parties should sink their selfish interest and pursue larger interest for public good.