Babachir Lawal: Reps decries SGF’s absence at alleged IDPs funds diversion investigation
Members of the House of Reps aren't happy
with the absence of Babchir Lawal at the investigation on the diversion
of funds meant for the IDPs
House of Representatives committee investigating alleged diversion of funds and materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) said it was being frustrated by refusal by persons to appear before it.
The committee particularly decried the failure of Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, to honour summon to him to appear and clarify some issues on the allegation.
The
Committee on IDPs and the North-East Initiatives, mandated by the house
to investigate the allegation had invited Lawal to explain how his
office spent about N12 billion allocated for the IDPs’ challenges.
The
committee is also investigating the expenditure of N270 million by the
Presidential Initiative on the North-East (PINE) “on just clearing of
grass’’.
Also being probed by house committee is
the purported allocation of N188.69 million for Nigerian refugees living
in Minawao, Republic of Cameroon.
Expressing disappointment with the attitude of the SGF towards the committee, Chairman of the committee, Rep. Sani Zorro, said “The SGF who was slated to have appeared hasn’t showed up.
“He
did not write to intimate us on why his office would not come to
explain why issues of internally displaced persons have remained not
encouraging, in spite of the billions of naira claimed to have been
spent.
“The PINE officials said he’s at the villa.
“But,
as the secretary to the government under whose office the
rehabilitation of the North-East was placed, we had expected him to come
to throw light on the financial expenses made by his office.
“We also expected him to explain the implementation framework being used to spend money.
“We
have been inundated by reports of diversion of materials and funds
meant for the rehabilitation of the IDPs, and the North-East and the
scandal had led to international embarrassment for the country.
“Given
the issues of credibility and integrity raised against the agency in
charge of the North-East Initiative (PiNE) which falls under the SGF
office, we had expected him to respect the invitation.”
However, testifying before the committee members, Executive Secretary in charge of the Presidential Initiative, Mr Umar Gulani, said that N270 million was awarded as contract.
He
said the contract was for the removal of 250 kilometres of “invasive
plant species along river channels and simplified village irrigation
scheme (phase II) in Komadugu Basin in Yobe’’.
In
reaction, Zorro expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation, saying,
“we are of the opinion that the expenditure of the magnitude you have
made is not justified.
“It’s not acceptable that
you would spend such a huge amount of money on the clearing of weeds
while 2.5 million internally displaced victims of terror go hungry.
“They have no shelter and medical care.”
The committee, therefore, demanded further details from PINE, to be submitted to it without delay.
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