China Loan: Finance Minister Absent At Resumed House Of Reps Hearing

The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed was absent at the resumed investigative hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Treaties and Protocols on Tuesday.

Similarly, officials from the Debt Management Office (DMO) were also absent.

The Chairman of the Committee, Nicholas Ossai lamented the absence of the Minister and other officials of the Ministry as he noted that the lawmakers cannot interrogate the agencies in their absence.

However, the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, and his colleague from the FCT, Mohammed Musa Bello were present at the venue of the hearing.

The two ministers were accompanied to the venue of the hearing by the Permanent Secretaries in the respective ministries.

Chairman of the committee, Mr Nicholas Ossai, who led members of the panel into the venue about one hour behind schedule, called for the adjournment after the opening prayers were said.

Ossai said the lawmakers needed to scrutinize the documents already presented to it, while the panel would also demand explanations from the Federal Ministry of Justice on the loans and agreements.

The committee, thereafter adjourned till Tuesday next week.

Naija News reports the House of Representatives is conducting an investigative hearing on Nigeria’s external borrowings and commercial loan agreements with other countries, especially China.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had warned on Monday that the continuous investigation into the terms of the Chinese loans by the House of Reps may result in the cancellation of the loan and Nigeria will be the biggest loser if the deal is cancelled.