By Andover Tyowase
The President of the Nigerian Senate has given reasons behind the order of the arrest warrant slammed on the Managing Director of construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Limited.
It is to protect the sanctity of the parliament as an organ of government, Akpabio said.
The Senate had, Thursday, issued a warrant of arrest on the Managing Director of Julius Berger Plc for failing to appear before its Committee on Works for the stalled work on the Itu-Odukpani highway.
The Senate was angry that the contractor had shown disdain for the Nigerian parliament despite repeated reprimands.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio who guided the Senate in taking the resolution said the warrant was to compel the managing Director of the construction giant to respect the sanctity of the Nigerian parliament.
Akpabio said the Senate is prepared to fully back actions that will hold contractors accountable.
The Senate decision followed a Point of Order raised by Senate Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu who had in his motion urged his colleagues to approve a warrant for the arrest of Julius Berger MD for snubbing the invitations of the Senate Committee on works.
Senator Adams Oshiomole in his contribution said the action of Julius Berger in shunning the summon of the Senate showed that they are bigger than the one who gave them the job to do.
“That we are discussing this matter in this chamber shows that a contractor is more powerful than the Federal Ministry of Works and this is unfortunate.
“This kind of thing happens when an elder begin to share ‘akara’ with a small boy,” he said.
He asked rhetorically, who is complaining? The minister who gave the job cannot be helpless.
“For the committee to be chasing the contractor, the minister has a case to answer” adding that “don’t hire who you cannot fire”.
In his final remarks, Akpabio said “power of the legislature is in its rules”, urging his colleagues who are committee chairmen to use such powers, adding that “where your power fails you, come to the principal officers and let us know who is to execute the warrant”.
