Clean Cooking Stove: Contractor Drags Environment Ministry To Court.

The Contractor handling the supply of the Federal Government's 'Clean Cooking Stove' project has dragged the ministry of environment to court over threat by the Ministry to terminate the contract.

The Permanent Secretary, Fatima Made, who declined to comment on the matter when quizzed by journalists said that it would be subjudice to make any comment on the issue as it was already in court

The Goodluck Jonathan's administration had awarded N9.2 billion clean cooking stove contract to a German company to supply 4 million clean stove in each of the geo-political zones.

The aim of the project was to reduce the impact of desertification which was made possible through the felling of trees.

The Former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, had gone ahead to launch the clean stove project even when it was obvious that the contractor was yet to meet the require after collecting the initial payment of N1.3 billion was released by the Environment Ministry.

However, the Ministry had alleged that the contractor failed to supply the required number of stoves after it was given a 15 percent initial payment of N1.3 billion.

Made explained that the clarification became has necessary, in order to reduce the pressure from the concern of journalists as well as keep to the rules.

The Permanent Secretary advised journalists, who are interested in reporting on the matter to get their findings from the court proceedings as the hearing on the matter progresses.

The Permanent Secretary recalled that before the contractor initiated the suit against the Ministry over the clean cook stove contract, she told journalists in a press chat that the contractor – ‘Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited’ brought some of the items which were being assembled by the contractor at the Velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja.

“The Ministry’s next line of action on the contract will be contingent upon completion of the assemblage, counting and actual supply and receipt processes. The final process in the receipt of the items will be the issuance of a Certificate of Performance by the Ministry,” She said.