BREAKING: Reps Committee summons Prof Utsev

An ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Utsev, over the sales of an asset belonging to a parastatal under his ministry.

The committee, chaired by Julius Ihonvbere, was constituted to investigate the alleged illegal disposal of some government assets between 2010 and 2022 and the non-remittance of the revenue realised from the sales to the consolidated revenue fund (CRF).

Ihonvbere issued the summon on Monday during the appearance of some officials of the Water Basin Authorities before the panel.

Utsev and 44 other ministers were sworn in on August 21, therefore, the auction was conducted before his appointment.

Adeniyi Aremu, the managing director of Lower Niger River Basin, had informed the committee that the auction was handled by the ministry, hence, the committee’s summon of the minister. 

“I want to assure you for now that we are not very satisfied and that is because you did not preside over this process,” Ihonvbere said while addressing the officials.