Reps to grill FCT council chairmen on expenditure Tuesday

The House of Representatives has slated Tuesday, July 26, 2024, for questioning of six Area Council Chairmen of the Federal Capital Territory on their expenditures.

They would face the House Committee on FCT and Ancillary Matters after failing to honour several invitations extended to them.

The Chairman of the Committee, Frederick Agbedi, stated this on Tuesday during a meeting attended by the Minister of State for FCT, Mariya Mahmud and the six council chairmen.

The lawmaker chided the council bosses for treating parliamentary invitations with contempt.

He said, “The committee is not witch-hunting anyone, but anyone who is in public service must be accountable.”

The Minister apologised for not being able to meet up with previous invitations, pledging however, that going forward, she will work with the committee.

Similarly, the Chairman, Kwali Area Council, Danladi Chia, apologised on behalf of his colleagues, promising to cooperate with the panel in the future.

According to a schedule provided by the Clerk of the Committee, Matthew Okureka, Abaji Area Council would appear before the Committee on Tuesday, July 23, 2024; Bwari on Wednesday, July 24, 202 and Gwagwalada on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

Also, the Kuje Area Council would face the Committee on Tuesday, July 30, 2024; Kwali on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, and AMAC on Thursday, August 1, 2024.

The hearings are expected to be held by 1 pm on the allocated days.

Agbedi said the Committee had to adjourn the investigative hearing till next week following the death of Ekene Adams, a lawmaker

Recall that the Committee had last Tuesday, threatened to stop the budgetary allocation to the FCT, owing to the failure of the council chairmen to honour its summons.