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The Niger State House of Assembly has extended invitation to the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Ibrahim Isah Ladan and the Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Nasara Dan Mallam Baba for legalization of the State Investment Promotion Company, an investment arm of the government.The house said the invitation of the two top government officials was a matter of urgent public importance, brought pursuant to Order 2, Rule 4, of the assembly, standing order 2008.
The state Legislators further argued that a Bill for a Law to establish Niger state Investment Promotion Agency has been presented before the7th Legislature of the house.
The assembly thereby declared the state Investment Promotion Company as non existing,illegal and impersonating, just as it summoned the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,Barr. Nasara Dan-Malam Baba and the SSG to appear before the House with detailed explanations about the operations of the agency.
It could however be recalled that the House, in its last plenary, before embarking on two weeks recess, had argued that the agency had existed and operated without any legislative backing.
The house also accused the company of operating in total disregard to all democratic practices, rules and regulations and the laws of Niger state, saying ‘certain individual has been parading himself as the Director General and Executive Secretary of Niger State Investment Promotions Agency (NSIPA), also known as “One Stop Investment Shop”.
The members also observed that there was no law in place to regulate the activities of NSIPA with an office with sign boards bearing information concerning the agency within the heart of Minna, the state capital metropolitan Area even when all its activities have been discovered to be illegal.
The House, after deliberations agreed that the Commissioner for Justice and the SSG be invited in its next sitting to give insight into the existence and continued operations of the agency while all staff working therein should be deployed back to Ministry for Commerce and Investment.
Nigerian Tribune however gathered that the NSIPA DG, Hamza Bello and the immediate past SSG, Alh. Shehu Umar Danyaya were said to be victims of power play between members of the State House of Assembly and the Executive arm of government.
It was further learnt that NSIPA which came into being during the immediate past administration of Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu existed and has been adding value to the state’s economy and as such couldn’t have operated without the needed legal framework.
Unconfirmed reports also indicated Hamsa Bello’s failure to ‘see’ the relevant members in the House of Assembly was said to have been attributed as his major sin.
Another school of thought also indicated that the DG’s alleged offence bothered on his altercations with a proxy to one of the Assembly members who, it was hinted had vowed to keep him out of job.
