The House of Representatives Committee on Culture and Tourism says it plans to investigate alleged sale of government properties at the National Theatre, Lagos.
The resolution was reached when the management of the theatre appeared before the committee on 2022 budget defence on Thursday in Abuja.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama (PDP-Edo), who presided over the session, said that the aim was to enable the committee to carry out on the spot investigation on public property within the premises which were allegedly sold illegally.
“The issue of National Theatre is utmost importance, that edifice is our pride and it is strange to all of us that you are not even working there now, that you had to move somewhere within the premises because they are working.
“Due to allegations of sale of property within the theatre being sold, part of the amendment to the motion is an oversight on the spot visit to theater in Lagos. Also the documentations we have requested for we have to get it by tomorrow.
“We will put the budget on hold until we have an in-depth understanding of the purported or supposed MOU that was signed according to you in February and have the details in which bankers committee would go into Federal Government property and begin construction on April and expect that we will appropriate public funds to that agency.
“I think this issue needs to go beyond all of this, including bankers committee and CBN would need to come and explain to us what is happening to that property and its environs in Ikomu, the popular National Theatre that housed all of Africa during the FESTAC 1977. it is carried and I so rule,” he said.
Earlier, the Director General of National Theatre, Prof. Sunday Ododo, told the committee that the theater had gone through serious dilapidation.
He said that the need to rehabilitate was why the Ministry of Information and Culture with the CBN Bankers Committee came to an understanding
