There was a mild drama yesterday during a budget defence meeting of the Ministry of Environment held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
House of Representatives’ Committee on Environment had told the Environment Minister, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, that there were allegations of bribery and corruption in the ministry she heads.
Chairperson of the committee, Uche Ekwunife, said members had received several complaints over the procurement and award processes of the Ministry.
The committee also stated that it got information that some contractors were made to pay money before they were awarded contracts.
Ekwunife said: “We want to know whether you do partial procurement or full procurement. We also want to know why these contractors must pay money before they are given their papers and taken to site. I just remembered that contractors would not go to site unless they pay certain amounts of money.”
Responding to the allegations, the Minister of Environment, refuted the claims saying she does not condone such.
An angry Mailafia said, “Let me say contractors do not pay money. I am not aware of such a practice. It must be a kind of relationship, which I am not aware of. And that is what I am talking about, we have people who are coming in to bastardise the process.”
She said the staff in her ministry are disciplined, adding that anyone with proof of such accusation should come forward and tender it.
Comments