The Edo House of Assembly Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversy surrounding the Museum of West African Art says it has concluded its public inquiry on the matter.
The chairman of the committee, Addeh Isibor, disclosed this during Monday’s public hearing at the assembly complex in Benin.
Mr Isibor said that the committee’s final report was scheduled for presentation to the House next week.
The investigation marked a major step towards resolving the questions surrounding the financing and management of the MOWAA project.
Appearing before the committee, Edo’s accountant general, Julius Anelu, disclosed that between March 2022 and April 2024, the state government released N3.8 billion as its counterpart contribution to the MOWAA project.
Mr Anelu said that the state’s contribution was intended to attract $18 million (approximately N27 billion at the time) from international donors and investors. However, when asked by the committee whether he had any record of the supposed N27 billion donor funds, he replied in the negative.
He said his office received no vouchers, receipts, or confirmations from foreign partners.
“The Treasury is not aware of any income from international donors. We did not receive any $18 million for the project,” he said.
Mr Anelu also confirmed that the initial N800 million released for the project was duly appropriated in the 2022 state budget.
He further clarified that one of the three payment vouchers was issued in favour of Legacy Restoration Trust, while the remaining two were issued to MOWAA.
In a detailed oral and video presentation, Aghatise Erediauwa, speaking on behalf of the Benin Royal Family, alleged that former Governor Godwin Obaseki and some associates “hijacked” the original Benin Royal Museum project, with a view to holding back the repatriated Benin artefacts by renaming it MOWAA.
He said that many international donors initially expressed interest because they believed the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, was involved. According to him, donor confidence reportedly waned when they discovered the true nature of the project’s control.
Mr Erediauwa called for a thorough investigation, saying that scrutiny should extend to individuals outside the state, rather than focusing accusations solely on Benin stakeholders.
Mr Isibor informed lawmakers that MOWAA representatives declined to appear before the committee on two occasions, despite the committee selecting last Thursday as a convenient date. He said that the committee would rely heavily on the documentary evidence voluntarily submitted by MOWAA.
Addressing concerns over an originating summons filed by MOWAA at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, Mr Isibor acknowledged receiving a letter from Olayiwola Afolabi, MOWAA’s lawyer. He said that neither the Edo government nor the parliament was listed as a party in the suit.
“Since the legal action does not involve the Edo assembly or the state government, the committee will proceed to submit its findings based on the documents provided by all the relevant parties,” he said.
In a related development, the House Ad Hoc Committee investigating the financing of the Radisson Blu Hotel project has raised concerns over the payment of over N20 billion to River Jameson, a private entity, holding 80 per cent equity in the project, despite reportedly making no financial contribution.
The committee directed the permanent secretary in the ministry of finance, Bernard Aigbe, to present verifiable documents detailing the exact amount of money committed to the hotel’s construction at the committee’s next sitting on Wednesday.
During the hearing on payments made toward the hotel project, the majority leader of the house and chairman of the ad hoc committee, Jonathan Ibhawum, said that the documents earlier submitted by the permanent secretary were not sufficiently detailed to explain the funds allocated to the project.
Also, a member of the committee, Addeh Isibor, questioned the rationale behind signing off on several financial documents that ceded 20 per cent equity in the hotel project to the Edo government after paying over N20 billion to River Jameson, a private entity, which now holds 80 per cent equity, in spite of reportedly making no financial contribution to the project.
Subsequently, the committee directed the managing directors of the Tibury, Emerging African Trustees Ltd, and Meristem Trustee Ltd, who were mentioned in the transaction, to appear before it on Wednesday for clarification.
(NAN)
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