The House of Representatives has raised the alarm over clauses in Article 8(1) of the commercial loan agreement signed between Nigeria and Export-Import Bank of China, which allegedly concedes sovereignty of Nigeria to China in the $400 million loan for the Nigeria National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure Backbone Phase II Project, signed in 2018.
The controversial clause in the agreement signed by Federal Ministry of Finance (Borrower) on behalf of Nigeria and the Export-Import Bank of China (Lender) on September 5, 2018, provides that:
Consequently, the House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Communication, Ali Isa Pantani; and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, ThisDay writes.
The ministers are expected to provide answers on $500 million loan to be sourced from the Export-Import Bank of China for railway lines in the country.
Also summoned is the director general of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Ms. Patience Oniha.
They are also to provide details on the agreement signed between the federal ministry of transport and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in respect of some railway projects in the country.
The projects involved are the Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Kaduna and Kaduna-Kano railways lines.
Meanwhile, Amaechi has warned that the Chinese authorities may not sign the $5.3 billion Ibadan-Kano rail line loan if the lawmakers continue to investigate the agreement.
Chairman of the House committee on Treaties, Protocol and Agreements, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai issued the summons yesterday at the public hearing with MDAs on review of Nigeria’s bilateral loan agreement.
Ossai said they are expected to appear on August 17, unfailingly with details of the contracts concerned.
He said,
The Committee raised alarm over alleged waiver of Nigeria’s sovereignty in the government concessions agreement on Nigeria National Information and communication technology infrastructure backbone phase II project between the government of Nigeria, represented by the Federal Ministry of Finance(borrower) and the Export-Import Bank of China (lender) dated September 5, 2018.
The Committee cited Article 8(1) of the agreement, which states that
He explained that because China, which is giving the loan is sensitive and monitoring happenings in Nigeria, the House committee might wish to give him till end of December when all the loan would have been received.
Amaechi argued that the constant investigations by the National Assembly might give the impression that a part of the government does not approve of the loan and the Chinese government may withdraw the loan.
He appealed to the committee to consider national interest in carrying out their oversight function.
“Let the government of China not say there is a disagreement in government on this loan and so we will not give this loan. So, I appeal to the chairman to give us from now till December, when we are likely to secure the loans. Then, from January, February, you can resume this investigation.”
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