By IKENNA OSUOHA

The House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources has urged the Abuja Power Company Ltd. (APCL) to withdraw pending litigation against the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation for an out of court settlement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APCL petitioned the committee over a dispute between them and the Federal ministry of water resources and sanitation, on the proposed Gurara II Hydropower Project in Niger.

Speaking, Chairman of the committee, Rep. Sada Soli appealed to APCL to close ranks with the ministry for a peaceful outcome by withdrawing the case from the court.

Soli, who emphasised the imperatives of a peaceful settlement, said it was for national progress and development.

“I want to appeal to APCL to withdraw the case in court and I assure you of a meaningful outcome,” he said.

The chairman also appealed to the ministry to reciprocate any peaceful steps to be taken by the APCL.

Earlier, the Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev, insisted that the ministry had no contract with APCL.

According to Utsey, the ministry is not aware of any contract with APCL.

Utsev said the project was awarded by selective method in accordance with procurement extant laws of Nigeria.

He, however, aligned himself with the committee by asking APCL to embrace out of court settlement, pledging to look into their verifiable claims.

On his part, the counsel to APCL, Mr Oluwemimo Ogunde accused the ministry of denying the company water rights to the detriment of national interest.

Ogunde said the ministry in connivance with Niger State Government, breached the public private partnership law by denying them the water right to generate and distribute power.

According to the legal practitioner, ACPL has invested huge amounts of money in the project only to be denied and another company given the concession. (NAN)

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