The Cross River State House of Assembly, CRSHA, has demanded an immediate halt to ongoing private renovation works at the Cross River State Liaison Office, Abuja.
In a motion moved by Kingsley Ntui, member representing Etung State Constituency, the House called on the Cross River State Government to jettison the terms of an agreement which purportedly concessioned the C’River Liaison Office to a private individual.
Omang Omang, Minority Whip, who spoke on the floor of the House, expressed dismay at the extensive renovations being carried out at the Liaison Office, without the CRSG’s knowledge. He was piqued that the House has not yet received any form of documentation to provide proof of the Abuja Liaison Office’s concession through due process to a private person or group of persons.
He cited Section 128 of the Nigerian Constitution, further pointing the House to the fact that this section empowers the House to carry out an investigation, demand an inquiry into the rumoured sale of state-owned property and the subsequent prosecution of those involved in the unlawful privatization of state government assets.
Member representing Ikom I State Constituency, Neji Abang, Okon Owuna, representing Akamkpa II State Constituency, Ovat Agbor, representing Obubra I State Constituency, as well as other members of the House, harped on the need for the immediate suspension of ongoing renovations on the building and its recovery by the Cross River State Government. They demanded that the House must call on all parties engaged in the concession to provide a thorough explanation of the legal procedures employed before the property was given to private individuals.
Speaker of the House, Elvert Ayambem, assured that the call for the property’s return to the state government was a priority for the people of Cross River State. He maintained that working with the Bassey Otu-led administration on this particular matter, would by God’s grace see the yearnings and aspirations of the people actualized.
The Liaison Office, located at 26 Jose Marti St, Asokoro, Abuja FCT, is believed to have been concessioned in very shady circumstances by the last administration in CRS.