The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen for turning down a mouth-watering N33 billion proposal by a contracting firm for underwater inspection of a section of the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos following his discovery that the actual job will require only N5 billion.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement yesterday said the rejection of the proposal by the minister is yet another testament to the anti-corruption stance of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP administration.

The party said the minister has saved the nation a huge sum of money which would have been carted away by unscrupulous contractors but for his patriotic stance and application of his engineering experience for public good.

"The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commends the Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolememen for his display of patriotism in turning down the N33 billion proposal by a contracting firm for underwater inspection of a section of the Third Mainland Bridge after his direct discovery that the actual job will cost only N5 billion.

"This is a rare display of patriotism and another testament to the anti-corruption stance of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP administration. The minister in applying his engineering experience which enabled him to discover that the entire job will cost only N5 billion shows his patriotism and justifies the confidence reposed on him by President Goodluck Jonathan," the statement said.

The PDP which said it is very proud of the minister, charged him to remain steadfast and continue to resist temptations from fraudulent persons and companies.

The leadership of the party also called on other government functionaries to emulate the Minister of Works and ensure that due process is always followed in all activities of government in line with the anti-corruption stance of the party.

It also charged contracting firms in the country to desist from such fraudulent tendencies especially the practice of inflating contract costs to defraud the nation.

The Minister of Works, who appeared before the Senate on Monday told lawmakers that he rejected the proposal when he used his engineering experience to discover that the firm, which only reached for solutions and recommendations without technical inspection, inflated the cost of project inspection to N33 billion when the entire job will cost only N5 billion.