By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – THE Ministry of Water Resources is facing criticism as assets valued in the millions of naira have allegedly deteriorated while awaiting auction at multiple sites nationwide.
Unserviceable earth-moving machines and other heavy-duty equipment have been left exposed to the elements for years, with weeds reclaiming several locations.
Findings show many of the machines are spread across sites including Gurara Dam in Niger State and the Upper and Lower Benue areas in Doma, among others.
A publication dated August 20, 2025, signed by Moses Jo-Madugu, Chairman of the Scraps and Unserviceable Items Committee, announced plans to auction the items.
Sources, however, said the auction has stalled amid alleged conflicts of interest among senior ministry officials.
The President of the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers, Musa Kurra, criticized what he described as opaque and non-compliant practices, stating that the ministry has not adhered to due process.
Kurra said since the August 20 advert in Blueprint Newspaper about the planned sale, officials have remained silent and failed to provide further information.
He argued that the advert was defective and vague, noting that it should have invited auctioneers to apply to supervise the sale, followed by subsequent adverts detailing dates and locations for public sale.
He also claimed that auctioneers—who by law should supervise the process—have not been involved, and that contractors have been taken to the sites to facilitate the sales in secrecy.
“The equipment was purchased for millions of naira and has since deteriorated under sun and rain,” Kurra lamented.
He added that the government should now recover some value from the assets and that the ministry must operate transparently, sharing clear guidelines and ensuring the auction process is credible.
The association’s objective is to maximize value for the government through a transparent auction.
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