Posted by From Stanley Nkwazema in Abuja on
The House of Represen-tatives committee on Public Petitions, yesterday summoned Minister of Commerce, Engr. Charles Ugwu over the controversial concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex to Aulik Nigeria Limited.
The House of Represen-tatives committee on Public Petitions, yesterday summoned Minister of Commerce, Engr. Charles Ugwu over the controversial concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex to Aulik Nigeria Limited.
The letter of invitation, signed by Hon. Cyril Maduabum may have come up as a result of intial disagreements between the BPE and the legal counsel to the Trade Fair management, Mrs. Mary Ann Uzoigwe, on the illegality or otherwise of the deal.
At a House committee hearing with stakeholders on the concession process, Chief Legal Officer for the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Board, Mrs. Mary Ann Uzoigwe, who represented the Ministry of Commerce, joined other petitioners to protest the five-year leasing of 322 hectares of the complex to Aulik as illegal. She added that the concessionaire would be wrongfully taking over an investment by stakeholders worth N50 billion if the Federal Government sealed the deal.
The Ministry of Commerce in a lengthy submission, also denied being part of the agreement that leased the complex to Aulik for a total amount of N312 million, for parts A and B of the Trade Fair arena.
The ministry regretted that the BPE, had already ceded in its agreement, 80 per cent of the complex to Aulik, without taking into account the interests of other stakeholders who were already occupying over 70 per cent of part A of the arena. It argued that despite several warnings that part B was laden with petroleum pipelines and hardly pliable, the BPE was still bent on leasing or excising it to a willing dealer.
In its defense, the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), represented by Mrs. Adenike Akande, said as far as the LCCI was concerned the deal between BPE and Aulik did not exist.
She insisted that the LCCI and other trading partners were operating within a space of over 100 hectares out of the 322-hectared trade fair grounds, and were not aware that only 70% of the arena was conceded to it, as claimed by the BPE.
The LCCI and the House committee also picked holes in a survey of the arena by the BPE, which did not ascertain whether it was just part A of the arena or the entire land mass of the complex that accounted for 322 hectares.
But representative of the BPE, Mr. Rueben Omotowa, insisted that the BPE followed due process in the concession agreement.
But Maduabum had faulted the entire concession process, saying ìThis is not the way public service should be run. You (the BPE) are making public service disreputable, with all due respect.î
Subsequently, Maduabum, wrote to the Ugwu, stressing the need for him to appear in person, with details of his ministryís position on the N312million concession deal between Aulik and the BPE.†
ìWe compel the minister to personally appear before the Committee on Thursday 24 July, 2008 at 2:00pm at the meeting Room 429 New Building, House of Representativesî, the letter stated.
It added that; ìWe request the Minister to forward to the committee, the position of the ministry and all relevant documents relating to the concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex at the aforesaid venue by Wednesday July 23, 2008.