The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts is investigating the Federal Ministry of Agriculture over the award of contracts worth about N18.9bn to several companies to clear bushes during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Chairman of the committee, Oluwole Oke, made this known at an investigative hearing in Abuja on Tuesday.

The lawmaker stated that the House was interested in finding out the location and significance of such projects. He disclosed that the committee had consequently invited the ministry and the companies involved.

The invited firms were, however, conspicuously absent at the hearing without any reason for their non-appearance.