By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja
House of Representatives has given its Committees on Anti-Corruption, Environment and Habitat the mandate to jointly investigate the “Clean Stove” project of former President Goodluck Jonathan, a contract that was allegedly awarded at the cost of about N9.2 billion, and report back within six weeks.
This followed a motion by Hon. Abiodun Faleke, who noted that the Jonathan-led Federal Executive Council (FEC), approved a contract for supply of 20 million units of clean stove and wonder bags under the clean stove scheme for the nation’s rural women.
According to the lawmaker, the contract was at a unit cost of N464.00, amounting to about
N9.287 billion.
He noted that following the FEC approval, the Federal Ministry of Finance released the sum of five billion Naira to the Federal Ministry of Environment for the execution of the project.
He disclosed that Messrs Integra Energy Renewable Services Limited was awarded the contract for the supply of the 20 million units of the stove, adding that the company was allegedly paid the sum of N1.3billion, being part of the mobilisation fee by the Federal Ministry of Environment, without due process.
“Less than 750,000 units were said to have been assembled and delivered at the velodrome of the National Stadium, Abuja, commissioned by former Vice President, Namadi Sambo”, he stated, stressing that there was no beneficiary present at the commissioning nor was any later given the stove to achieve its intended purpose.
The joint committee has therefore been given the directive to find out details of the contract, number of units supplied, their mode of distribution and names of beneficiaries on a state by state basis, as well as determine the status of the balance of N952 million with the contractor since 750,000 units of the clean stoves were supplied at a unit cost of N464 at the value of N348million out of the N1.3 billion reportedly paid out.
Also, the committee is expected to confirm the status of the balance of N3.7billion which was outstanding from the initial payment to the Federal Ministry of Environment, and determine whether or not the clean stoves and wonder bags projects had assisted in eradicating desertification in Nigeria as supposed.
