The Edo State House of Assembly has directed its standing committee on commerce and industry to investigate the N26 billion and N3.9 billion spent on the AVA cement factory, Ikpeshi, Akoko-Edo.
The speaker, Uyigue Igbe gave the directive when the commissioner for commerce and industry, Mr. McDonald Obasuke, briefed the house on the 2013 budget performance of his ministry on Wednesday in Benin.
Igbe said the fund was provided by the state government and private investors to revamp the AVA cement factory.
The commissioner said the ministry had given revolving loans to deserving beneficiaries through the Bank of Industry (BOI).
The lawmakers, however, queried the commissioner on the selection of beneficiaries of the loan, adding that the distribution of government loan should spread across the entire 18 local government areas.
The speaker also directed the commissioner to furnish the house with a comprehensive list of beneficiaries of the loans.
Also, Mr Patrick Aguinede, commissioner for Basic Education, who presented his brief in the house, said that the state had on its record 1,069 primary schools and 13, 463 teachers.
Aguinede said that there are 311 junior secondary schools and 2, 187 junior secondary teachers in the state. (NAN)
