2
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are investigating the alleged abandonment of a ₦365 million National Library of Nigeria (NLN) state branch project in Jalingo, Taraba State, following a petition by the civic organisation, BudgIT Foundation.
The organisation had accused the National Library of abandoning the construction of a prototype library building in Jalingo despite payments of about ₦292 million to the contractor.
The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) is a federal agency tasked with promoting literacy, research, and the preservation of Nigeria’s literary heritage.
Over the years, the agency has embarked on establishing state branches to expand access to library services across the country. The Jalingo branch project, part of this expansion initiative, was initially intended to serve as a prototype library model for other states.
The contract, awarded in 2018, was expected to be completed within a year. However, delays, contract variations, and payment discrepancies have stalled the project, raising concerns among civic organisations and lawmakers.
The Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Professor Chinwe Veronica, appeared before the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, to respond to the allegations.
Prof. Veronica told lawmakers that the contract for the National Library state branch in Jalingo was initially awarded on March 1, 2018, to Samsung and Asosu Nigeria Limited at a sum of ₦238 million, with a completion timeline of March 2019. She explained that the contract sum was later reviewed upward to ₦365 million in March 2023 following a variation approved through the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to her, “A total of ₦292.267 million has been paid to the contractor, while the project currently stands at about 85 per cent completion. About ₦7.3 million remains as the outstanding balance on the project.”
However, members of the committee expressed concern over the project’s status, noting that the contractor had not been seen on site since October 2023 despite the substantial payments. The committee also questioned why the eighth payment certificate, valued at ₦65.2 million, was processed alongside an earlier unpaid certificate despite limited documentation.
Rep. Salam raised concerns over the agency’s submission, stating, “The only document provided to the committee was the original letter of award. Key procurement documents, including the variation request and approval records, are missing. This is unacceptable for a project of this magnitude.”
Responding, Prof. Veronica acknowledged that some processes predated her tenure but assured the committee that the relevant documents would be submitted. She added, “Officials of the agency visited the project site last year and observed security personnel stationed there by the contractor. We also communicated with the contractor by telephone to monitor progress.”
The committee, however, remained unconvinced. Rep. Salam argued, “The absence of the contractor on site since October 2023 suggests that the project has effectively been abandoned. The agency’s response appears biased and fails to address our concerns adequately.”
Following deliberations, the Public Accounts Committee directed the National Library of Nigeria to submit all outstanding procurement and payment documents related to the project. It also constituted a three-member investigative team to conduct a physical inspection of the Jalingo project site.
Both the contractor, Samsung and Asosu Nigeria Limited, and the National Library have been directed to reappear before the committee after the inspection for a final determination on the status of the project and possible next steps.
