Drama as Reps continue probe of Chinese loans

There was a mild drama at the House of Representatives on Monday as the House resumed the probe of Chinese loans for the development of the rail sector in the country.

The Ministry of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the Chairman of the House Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreement, Rep. Ossai Nicholas Ossai openly disagreed on the content of the loan and other procedures for its execution.

Ossai also would not allow members of the committee ask questions as he constantly cut them short insisting that he was in charge of the committee, while Amaechi constantly refused to be guided in his response to Ossai’s questions, insisting however, that he was asking one question in three different ways.

Amaechi told the committee that the Lagos/Calabar rail line will not be possible because the House is probing the loan which has not been secured for the project, adding that at the moment, there was no contract because there was no loan.

He insisted that the project was important to the south-south region of the country, to which Ossai replied that the issue at hand was not about a region but about Nigeria, warning against serving regional interests.

Attempt by Wole Oke to guide the process to ensure a rancour free exercise was rebuffed by Ossai who ruled Oke out of order insisting he was in charge and cannot guided.

Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila who walked into the hearing room 028 as the drama was unfolding however halted the process midway and called for a short break apparently to allow nerves to calm down.