Reps probe panel postpones hearing on Chinese loans, others

The House of Representatives on Tuesday suspended its investigative hearing on Nigeria’s external borrowings and commercial agreements with other countries, especially China.

The House Committee on Treaties, Protocols, and Agreements had invited several ministers and top officials of the Federal Government to the third hearing on Tuesday.

Expected at the hearing were the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Pantami; Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari; and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello.

Chairman of the committee, Mr Nicholas Ossai, who led members of the panel into the venue about one hour behind schedule, called for the adjournment after the opening prayers were said.

Ossai said the lawmakers needed to scrutinise the documents already presented to it, while the panel would also demand explanations from the Federal Ministry of Justice on the loans and agreements.

The committee, therefore, resolved to adjourn till Tuesday next week.