Reps Query National Library Over Alleged Abandoned ₦365m Taraba Project 

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has raised concerns over the reported abandonment of a ₦365 million National Library of Nigeria project in Jalingo, Taraba State.

The issue was brought before the committee on Thursday following a petition submitted by the civic organisation BudgIT Foundation, which alleged that the project had been left incomplete despite substantial payments to the contractor.

BudgIT claimed that after about ₦292 million had been paid, work on the prototype national library building in Jalingo appeared to have stalled.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria, Chinwe Veronica, appeared before the committee, which is chaired by Bamidele Salam, to address the allegations.

During the hearing, Veronica explained that the contract for the construction of the state branch of the national library in Jalingo was originally awarded on March 1, 2018, to Samsung and Asosu Nigeria Limited for ₦238 million, with the project scheduled for completion in March 2019.

She told lawmakers that the contract value was later revised to ₦365 million in March 2023 following an approved variation through the Federal Ministry of Education.

According to the agency’s CEO, the contractor has received a total of ₦292.267 million so far, and the project is estimated to be about 85 per cent completed. She also noted that approximately ₦7.3 million remains as the outstanding balance on the contract.

Members of the committee, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of the project. They pointed out that despite the large sum already paid, the contractor had not been present at the construction site since October 2023.

The lawmakers also questioned the processing of the eighth payment certificate, valued at ₦65.2 million, which was reportedly issued alongside an earlier unpaid certificate despite limited documentation supporting the payments.

Committee members observed that the only document submitted by the agency was the initial letter of award. They noted that other critical procurement records, including the request for contract variation and its approval, were not included in the documents presented.

In response, Veronica said some of the processes being questioned took place before she assumed office. She assured the committee that the missing documentation would be provided.

She further explained that officials from the agency visited the project location last year and saw security personnel stationed there by the contractor. She added that the agency had also communicated with the contractor through telephone discussions.

However, the committee chairman disagreed with that explanation, stating that the contractor’s absence from the site since October 2023 suggested that work on the project had effectively been abandoned.

He also argued that the agency’s submission did not sufficiently address the committee’s concerns and appeared to defend the contractor rather than clarify the situation.

After deliberations, the committee instructed the National Library of Nigeria to provide all outstanding documents relating to procurement and payments for the project.

Lawmakers also set up a three-member investigative team to carry out a physical inspection of the construction site in Jalingo.

Both the contractor, Samsung and Asosu Nigeria Limited, and officials of the National Library were directed to appear before the committee again after the inspection, when lawmakers will determine the true status of the project and decide on the next course of action.