Members of the Senate Adhoc Committee on Food Crisis probing increase in prices of food stuff, on Saturday searched in vain for Ezillo Silo site in Port Harcourt, River State. Ezillo Silo contract was awarded in 1990 to Messrs Persianas Nig. Ltd for 1.9 million pounds offshore and N12 million onshore with 25,000 metric tonnes storage capacity.
The offshore and onshore components of the project had been paid in full to the contractor. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the committee on a fact- finding tour of agriculture projects in the South-south zone, wandered the whole day in search of the silo. The committee could not locate the silo site or the contractor.
NAN learnt that when the contractor earlier appeared before the committee during its public hearing in Abuja, he alleged that the silo had been stolen. The committee also uncovered a N1.8 billion dam abandoned in Nkari, Akwa-Ibom. The dam, meant to supply irrigation water to the community was initially awarded for N667 million and later reviewed to N1.8 billion. Nkari dam was awarded in 2004 to Messes Hydroworks Ltd and Federal Government had so far paid N900 million mobilisation to the contractor. The Consultant to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr Udeme Akpan of Omodem Ltd, said he had written to the ministry for determination of the job.
''The major problem is the contractor because he has failed to perform and we have communicated our observation to the ministry for further action,'' he said. Briefing newsmen, Chairman of the committee, Sen. Idris Umar, said the committee would make appropriate recommendations to the Senate to ensure that the money for Ezillo Silo was recovered.Idris said
''Today, we arrived and we were taken round Port Harcourt but the Ezillo Silo is nowhere to be found. ''Monies have been taken and the silo site have been taken over by private buildings and the contractor is nowhere to be found. ''I can assure that necessary steps will be taken to recover the monies involved.
''We will not only recover the monies but steps will also be taking to ensure that the contractor is prosecuted for criminal offence.''On the abandoned dam, Idris said ''this is a clear manifestation that the contractor is unable to continue with the project and we will recommend for the determination of the dam.''
''We are not satisfied with this performance and there is no indication that the contractor will ever improve.''
