From Rashidat AbdulRahman, Minna
Niger State House of Assembly has recommended the prosecution of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kabir Abbas, over the alleged disappearance of 72 tractors belonging to 25 local government areas of the state.
The recommendation was contained in the House Ad Hoc Committee’s report presented by its Chairman, Abdul Madaki, representing Bosso Constituency, and presented to the House at plenary on Wednesday in Minna.
Also fingered in the alleged deal and recommended for prosecution is the contracting firm, Dogara-ga-Allah Ventures.
The report said that the commissioner had allegedly disregarded due process in the award of contract and abuse of office.
The committee, therefore, recommended that the commissioner be prosecuted alongside the contractor and that the company Dogara ga Allah Ventures should be blacklisted from carrying out contract in the state for 20 years.
It said that the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs should as a matter of urgency provide documentary evidence of all monies paid to the contractor so far.
The committee also recommended that the commissioner should be made to return the tractors to 23 local government areas and communicate compliance to the House in two weeks.
It also said that the purported contractor be directed to return N2.7 million made for transporting the tractors from various local government and evidence of payment should be communicated to the House in two weeks by the ministry.
Recall the the committee was set up in June following a motion moved under matters of urgent public importance, to investigate circumstance of the refurbishment and the missing 72 tractors.