N100bn take-off funds: Reps to probe minister, NEDC’s MD

The House of Representatives has called for an investigation into the utilisation of the N100 billion take-off funds provided for the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

This was sequel to a motion moved under “Matters of Urgent Public Importance” by the House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu at the Plenary on Thursday.

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Presenting the Motion, Elumelu expressed concerned that the N100 billion disbursed to the Commission has vanished in less than a year with no appreciable impact on displaced persons or infrastructural development which the Commission has executed in the Northeast.

“There are allegations of how the Managing Director and his close associates diverted funds meant for the commission to purchase choice properties in highbrow neighborhoods of Abuja, Kaduna and Maiduguri to the detriment of the suffering refugees,” he said.

According to him, it was alleged that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouk in conjunction with the Managing Director (MD) of the Commission allegedly withdrew N5 billion to purchase military vehicles without approval by NEDC board and disregard to the country’s procurement laws.

“These consistent abuses of procurement laws if not put to check may defeat the purpose for the establishment of the commission, hence the need for an urgent investigation,” Elumelu stated.

The House, therefore, mandated its Committees on Finance, Procurement, and NEDC to exhaustively investigate these allegations and submit report in eight weeks.