Senate Orders Arrest of Julius Berger MD Over Abandoned Projects
The Senate on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr. Peer Lubasch, following his repeated failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Works.
The resolution came after a motion was moved by the Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West), and co-sponsored by Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South) and Mpigi Barinada (PDP, Rivers South-East).
In his motion, Senator Ngwu highlighted that Julius Berger had persistently ignored invitations to clarify issues surrounding abandoned projects and the significant increase in the cost of contracts, from N54 billion to N195 billion.
He raised concerns over the Odukpani-Itu Highway project, noting that Julius Berger had received more than N18 billion in public funds but had failed to meet targets and honor contract terms. “Despite receiving substantial public funds, Julius Berger has refused to provide details of their role in the Odukpani-Itu Highway project,” Ngwu stated.
Ngwu further pointed to discrepancies in the performance of contractors, with Julius Berger specifically singled out for not meeting expectations. He referenced the National Assembly’s constitutional powers to investigate and summon any person or organization handling public funds, as stipulated in Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.
The senator also drew attention to the alleged termination of Julius Berger’s contract for the Odukpani-Itu Highway due to its failure to accept contract review terms, despite initially agreeing to a contract worth over N54 billion. Julius Berger later sought an upward review to N195 billion, which was rejected.
Ngwu called on the Senate to invoke its constitutional powers, as outlined in Section 89(1)(c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution, to compel Dr. Lubasch’s attendance at the rescheduled investigative hearing. Senate President Godswill Akpabio confirmed that a specific date for the MD’s appearance would be included in the arrest warrant.
The motion led to a heated debate in the Senate, with some senators calling for the immediate issuance of the arrest warrant. Senators Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), and Joel Onowakpo Thomas (APC, Delta) supported the motion. However, Senators Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), and Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North) proposed resolving the matter at the committee level to avoid unnecessary escalation.
Despite the differing opinions, the Senate resolved to proceed with the arrest warrant, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.