The House of Representatives on Thursday threatened to issue bench warrant against 14 companies handling of rail projects in the country.
It said that the contractors failed to appear before members of its Ad hoc Committee investigating issues around the projects from 2010 to 2014.
Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Rep. Johnson Agbonayinma (PDP-Edo), told newsmen in Abuja that the companies’ refusal to appear before members of the committee after several invitations was an affront on the lower chamber.
He said the companies included Costain West Africa Ltd, handling N12.2 billion rehabilitation of Jebba-Kano Narrow Gauge and ESER Nigeria Company awarded N19 billion contract for rehabilitation of Port Harcourt-Makurdi Narrow Gauge line.
Others are ANSALDO-A3&O Limited, A3&O Wireless Limited, Gear Holdings and ANSALDO South Africa in connection with N10 billion project for the upgrading of signalling and telecom system in the narrow gauge lines.
Agbonayinma said that it was pertinent to note that the call to investigate the rail contracts and the contractors executing them was basically to ascertain the level of performance.
According to him, the refusal of the companies to appear or respond to the ad hoc committee showed disregard to the invitation and contempt to the house.
“A warrant will be issued in few days because each of us is frustrated and upset after many times we have sent out letters,’’ he said.
He expressed worry that some of the companies could no longer be located in their addresses.
Agbonayinma said that Nigeria Railway Corporation would be compelled to produce the contractors who failed to honour the invitation.
“It seems these contractors are ghosts without addresses and we went further to do a search from Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) at least to see if we can get their addresses if they are still in this country.
“These are people that were given billions for the contract. Are you now telling me that they are ghosts and that they cannot appear before this house?
“Some of them don’t even live in their addresses, some don’t have address in Nigeria and they were given contracts worth billions.
“We have the NRC, which awarded the contracts and we will issue the Head of Affairs of the NRC a warrant to bring all the contractors that refused to show up
“Whether NRC likes it or not, they must produce the contractors,’’ Agbonayinma added. (NAN)