Abdul-Rahman Abubakar and Turaki A. Hassan
5 November 2009
Abuja — The Senate has queried Minister of Environment John Odey for awarding contract for the purchase of 10 incinerators to 10 medical centres without due process. Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology Senator Grace Folashade Bent (PDP, Adamawa South) landed the query to the minister during a meeting with members of the committee at the National Assembly.
"Complains reaching the Committee revealed that the contract awards for the 10r incinerators for ten medical centres did not follow due process as it was not open to the public and as a result lacked competitive bidding. The Committee therefore, seeks to know the details of the contract award and possibly visit the site in the nearest future." Senator Bent charged.
The Senators also queried the minister for not articulating Nigeria's position which will be tabled at the forthcoming International Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen Denmark saying, "The Copenhagen UN Climate Change Conference (COP 15) is said to be the most important International assembly in decades as the conference is expected to agree to a comprehensive long term global framework which will succeed the Kyoto Protocol. In these crucial negotiations, evidence before the Committee clearly reveals that Nigeria so far has not presented its position prior to the closing date of June 2009. The committee seeks to know the reason for the inaction by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Climate Change Unit and seeks to be updated on the Copenhagen process."
In the same vein, the committee also asked the minister to furnish it with the full details of the restructuring of the Ecological Fund which was said to have been done in violation of the law establishing the fund.
Member of the committee, Senator Professor Adego Erhiawarie Eferakeya(PDP, Delta Central), had to interject Mr. Odey while responding to the quarries saying, "We asked you simple questions which needs to be addressed differently but you are here lecturing us on climate change and telling us about the logistics you have put in place in Copenhagen for the Nigerian delegation whereas we are yet to present our position."
Senators therefore, said they were not satisfied with the response of the minister and asked him to arrange a meeting between them and President Umaru Musa Yar'adua on the issue.
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