The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the award of N9.287 billion contract by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan for the controversial “Clean Stove For Rural Women scheme.”
This was following a motion raised on the floor of the House on Tuesday by Lagos State lawmaker, Abiodun Faleke.
Faleke recalled that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, under Jonathan, had approved a contract for the supply of 20 million units of clean stove and wonder bags at the unit price of N464.
The Supply contract was awarded to Integra Energy Renewable Services Limited and the Federal Ministry of Finance released the sum of N5 billion to the Federal Ministry of Environment for the execution of the project.
Faleke alleged that the company was paid the sum of N1.3 billion out of the N5 billion as mobilisation fee without adherence to due process.
The lawmaker further claimed that less than 750,000 units of the so-called clean stoves were hurriedly assembled and brought to the National Stadium, Abuja, where they were commissioned by then Vice President, Namadi Sambo.
He pointed out that there was no beneficiary present at the commissioning ceremony and nobody was later given the stoves to achieve its intended purpose.
The lawmaker recommended that the House committees on Anti-Corruption, Environment and Habitat be mandated to investigate the matter.
Members of the House unanimously adopted the recommendation and the committees were given six weeks to carry out detailed investigation of the matter.
They were mandated to find out details of the contract, number of units of stove supplied, their mode of distribution as well as names of beneficiaries on a State by State basis.
The committees were also directed to determine what became of the balance of N952 million with the contractor, since 750,000 units of the clean stoves were supplied at a unit cost of N464 at the value of N348 million out of the N1.3 billion paid out.
Also, the committees are expected to ascertain the status of the balance of N3.7bn which was outstanding from the initial payment to the Federal Ministry of Environment.
They are also to determine whether or not the clean stoves project had indeed assisted in eradicating desertification in Nigeria.
