PFIPC Scandal: Reps Issue Final Warning As Agencies Risk Sanctions Over Ignored Summons

The House of Representatives has issued a final warning to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) refusing to honour invitations in the ongoing investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), threatening to invoke constitutional powers to compel their appearance.

The warning was issued by the House Ad hoc Committee investigating the activities and circumstances surrounding the council after some government institutions failed to appear before lawmakers despite repeated invitations.

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, described the failure of the affected agencies to honour the summons as a challenge to the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly, stressing that legislative invitations were not optional.

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Gagdi reminded the agencies that the powers of the National Assembly to summon persons and demand documents are backed by Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, adding that compliance was a legal obligation rather than an act of courtesy.

The committee gave the affected institutions a final opportunity to appear with relevant officials and documents, warning that failure to comply would lead to the use of available constitutional and statutory measures.

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The investigation followed controversy surrounding PFIPC, an organisation whose legitimacy has been questioned after claims that it operated as a government body despite not being formally established by law.

During previous hearings, lawmakers heard revelations from some government agencies regarding how the council allegedly gained recognition within government circles, including issues involving documentation, accounts and official correspondence.

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The committee is investigating how PFIPC allegedly secured government recognition and was linked to public resources, including questions surrounding its inclusion in government processes.

The House maintained that the probe was not targeted at any individual or institution but aimed at uncovering the facts, protecting public administration and ensuring that no organisation operates outside the law.

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