By Chijioke Agwu,
Abakaliki
Ebonyi State House of Assembly has threatened to issue warrant of arrest against some contractors handling some of the projects in the state for refusing to appear before it.
One of the major contractors included the Governorship candidate of Labour Party during the 2015 governorship election in the state, Chief Edward Nkwegu, owner of a contract firm identified as Edon Nigeria Limited.
The House said that it would issue the warrant of arrest against Nkwegu and other contractors should they fail to appear before it on Thursday this week.
Chairman of the Assembly Adhoc Committee investigating ongoing projects in the state, Chike Ogiji, while reacting to the alleged flagrant refusal of some of the contractors to appear before the Adhoc Committee on several occasions they were invited, mentioned the contractors involved to include Edon Nigeria Limited, JMK company Limited, Costain W.A, Aguiyi Nigeria Limited, Phinotech Nigeria Limited and Angele Standard Limited.
Others are Zim Engineering Ltd, Eze Chibueze Agbo and Sons owned by a former Commissioner for Education, Ndubuisi Agbo, Namik Construction Commerce Ltd, WATA Construction Ltd, Fred Technical Ltd, CAT Construction Group, Danesworth International Ltd and Tonimann Integrated Ltd.
Ogiji noted that the need for the warrant of arrest was to fulfill the constitutional powers of the House of Assembly to conduct investigations into the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government departments as reflected in section 128 sub section 1(b) of 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
He also cited section 129 sub section 1(d) to back up the warrant of arrest, adding that the funds released to the contractors were Ebonyi money and wondered why the contractors would hold public funds and refused to account for the funds.