Reps order probe of Manitoba over jumbo salaries

The House of Rep­resentatives on Thursday mandated its Committees on Power and Public Procurement to investigate an alleged massive corrupt practice perpetrated by Manitoba Hydro International Ni­geria Limited.

This resolution fol­lowed a motion moved by Hon Jonathan Gaza (Nasarawa-PDP) which was adopted by members through voice vote.

Gaza explained that the Federal Government entered a management contract with Manitoba which effectively altered the character of the man­agement contract in cer­tain respect.

He mentioned that the management contract in­cluded emoluments for 15 expatriates but only eight are working at the Trans­mission Company of Ni­geria (TCN).

Gaza further said that the Managing Director of TCN draws a monthly salary of N35.500 million while other expatriates and the Managing Direc­tor, ISO earna monthly incomes of N20.500 mil­lion and N19.100 million, respectively.

He explained that al­though the official ex­change rate of the dollar to naira four years ago was around N160 which was now N199.

According to him, the exchange rate being used by the management com­pany since 2012, has been N395, a rate that was and is still higher than both the official and parallel market rates.

Jonathan further said that as a result of the un­lawful exchange rate being used by Manitoba in the last 13 quarters, TCN had fraudulently and illegally lost N3. 769 billion over its entitlements.

“In April 2016, the management company unlawfully revalidated a 2010 contract worth N1,900,000,000 and awarded it to ABB India without due process, in flagrant violation of the public procurement Act, 2007.

“It is disturbing that Manitoba has not met its key performance indica­tors (KPI) under the man­agement contract and has clearly failed to justify the humongous sum of mon­ey it has drawn in expatri­ate emolument.