Ebun Francis || The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a vote of no confidence on, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, minister of mines and steel, his minister of state, Bawa Bwari; and the sole administrator of the Ajaokuta steel company.
The move followed the inability of the minister and his state counterpart to show up at the debate organised by the House focusing on the steel sector and specifically on how to revive the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development had earlier on Tuesday written to Mr. Dogara informing him that the ministers will not be able to attend following scheduling difficulties
But in a motion moved by the house leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, the lawmakers described the trio’s action over repeated invitations as contempt against the house.
They, therefore, resolved to set up a ‘powerful investigative ad-hoc committee’ to investigate all the ”surrounding events in the Ajaokuta steel company.”
In moving the motion, Gbajabiamia said, “The minister did not have the courtesy to reply but asked the permanent secretary to do so two weeks later.”
According to him, the sectoral debate the officials were invited to attend was for the good of the country and ”will serve as an opportunity for the actors to clear the air.”
“The debate gives ample opportunity to clear the air against all accusations, there is more to it than meets the eyes. This is an assault on common sense for the two ministers to have done this.”
In his contribution, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, the chief whip of the house, frowned at the action of the minister, accusing him of undermining the institution of the house.
“Whatever we do here is not about us but for the country,” he said.
“Their absence means something suspicious, insensitive to the plight of the people.”
The minority whip, Umar Barde, called on his colleagues to drop political sentiments and put the nation first.
He queried, ”what will committee chairmen go through if the speaker can be disrespected in this manner.”
“If this can be done to the speaker, I wonder what committee chairmen are going through.”