The Senate has summoned some of the nation’s construction giants over what it described as institutionalisation of corruption in the construction industry.
Among those summoned by the Senate were Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dantata and Sawoe Limited and Setraco Nigeria Limited.
The summon was issued by the Senate committee on Federal Capital Territory, headed by Senator Smart Adeyemi.
Adeyemi, at a news conference on Wednesday, said most construction companies source their major input locally at no cost and turn around to claim huge sums of money for the same products.
Such products, Adeyemi said, included granite.
Adeyemi disclosed that 40 per cent of the inputs are extracted locally.
The companies are expected to appear before the committee today with receipts of payment for local inputs and bill of quantity for jobs done.
Adeyemi said most of the contract costs in the country are being inflated, adding that the committee was determined to expose such sharp practices.
In another development, the Senate on Wednesday disagreed with the Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, over the proposed 88 per cent increase in electricity tariff.
But the minister insisted that there would be no going back in the planned hike.
Nnaji said Nigerians may have to pay N3.20K per unit of electricity, about five per cent increase from the current N2.20K charges.
He dismissed as false reported government plans to implement 88 per cent hike in electricity tariff this year.
He said Nigeria still operates the cheapest tariff regime in the sub-region after Zimbabwe.
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