The Senate had set up an ad-hoc committee to probe a total of 11,866 important projects abandoned across Nigeria by the Federal Government in all sectors.
The Committee was also mandated by the Senate to recommend appropriate actions to be taken to reduce project abandonment across the country.
The Senate decision was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim titled: “Urgent need to look into the 11, 866 mega projects abandoned by the Federal Government. “
Jimoh in his lead debate, said in 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan set up a Presidential committee on federal government-abandoned projects in Nigeria.
He said the committee visited the 36 states in Nigeria and identified 11,866 projects abandoned by the Federal Government since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
He noted that according to reports, about 63% of the entire projects since independence were abandoned.
“Even when a project is successfully delivered, it usually comes with an overrun of about 40% while most delivered projects record 10% underperformance,” he said.
While saying that the 63% of projects abandoned in Nigeria was worse than any country under comparison, he added that abandonment of the project is of “significant concern because of project costs which constitute a significant part of the GDP. “
While spending on a public project in the UK is now about one trillion British pounds, Nigeria has no idea of the total amount spent on public projects either successful or unsuccessful since independence.
He observed that the cost overrun and benefits shortfall over and over again of projects in Nigeria was important.
He said: “For instance, in the investigation carried out at the University of Cambridge doctorate in management science between 2018 and 2022, the value of the 38 projects investigated cost Nigeria over $40 billion.”
He argued that the government has the responsibility to set up a professional system that will deliver the critical value from major infrastructure development for its citizens.
He added: “…for 66% of projects to be abandoned since 1960 is nothing less than a calamity that reduces our pride as a ‘Giant of Africa’ if we are still one and every stakeholder should be concerned with giving support for a legitimate solution while the government have the responsibility to act.
“Let me also say that it is now the case that three abandoned projects out of the 11,856 projects are over 30% of the national debt for instance on Ajaokuta over $10 billion was spent without any production needless to talk of Sure-P projects or the Second Niger Bridge
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“Recall that projects like the National Library, Lagos Badagry Express Road, Calabar Power Plant, Zungery Dam, Mambilla site, Otukpo Dam, Nigeria Satellite, Nitel, Calabar Sea Port, Abuja Mass Housing project to mention but few have remained abandoned till date.”
The motion was supported by all senators in the chamber.
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