Reps to audit ₦20trn worth of abandoned Federal properties since 2000

The House of Representatives has resolved to establish a Special Ad-hoc Committee to review the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) report from the year 2000 and verify other reports of abandoned federal government properties across the country.

The move is aimed at identifying the current state of these properties, uncovering infractions, and recommending possible resolutions.

This decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, during plenary on Wednesday.

In his motion, Chinda cited findings by the Nigerian Institute of Quantitative Surveillance as of August 23, 2021, which reported about 11,866 abandoned landed properties and buildings belonging to the federal government nationwide, representing an estimated waste of over ₦20 trillion.

He further noted that approximately 63% of government-owned buildings and projects initiated since Nigeria’s independence have been left uncompleted or abandoned due to various reasons.

“The House is called to note that some of the major federal government properties abandoned include the Federal Secretariat Complex in Ikoyi, Lagos; Nigerian International Hotel Building in Suleja, Niger State; Millennium Building in Abuja; NAIPO Self-Quarter Building in Abuja; FIRS Self-Quarter Building in Abia State; National Library Building in Abuja; Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company in Kaduna; Kaduna Textile Building; Nigerian Aluminium Smelting Company in Delta State; NAIPO Office Building in Lagos; Agro Livestock Building in Ogun State; and Livestock Multiplication Centre in Adamawa and Taraba States,” he said.

Chinda expressed concern that the report of the PIC, established under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000, has not been officially submitted to date, raising questions about the accuracy and accountability of the committee’s work.

He argued that after several years of neglect, inflation and structural deterioration have significantly reduced the value of these properties, and urged the government to consider Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to revive and utilize them effectively.

Following a voice vote, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced the House’s unanimous adoption of the motion, mandating the yet-to-be-constituted Special Ad-hoc Committee to report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

“This motion is referred to a committee to be constituted in due course,” Abbas stated.

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