Drama as PRODA DG accuses NASS members of controlling contracts

*Onje: ‘I remain board chairman’

There was mild drama Wednesday at the ongoing investigations into the procurement violation at the Product Development Institute (PRODA) by the House of Representatives as the Acting Director General, Engr. Fabian Okonkwo declared that most of the contracts at the agency belonged to members of the National Assembly.

Testifying before the Hon. Nasiru Ali Ahmed-led House Public Procurement Committee, the embattled DG insisted that the contracts being investigated were awarded in full compliance of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

He further said that most of the jobs executed in the agency were done by highly placed individuals in the National and State Houses of Assembly.
“Mr. Chairman, honourable members, most of the contracts at PRODA belongs to senators and members of the House of Representatives.”

Although, Okonkwo was compelled to apologised to the lawmakers for disclosing that the contracts were executed by them, he explained that they were two types of contracts at the agency, which include the agency’s contracts and zonal intervention projects otherwise called constituency projects domiciled in the institute.
He clarified that the constituency project contracts were the ones that belonged to the legislators.  (New Telegraph)