The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has said that it does not maintain any commercial bank account whether within Nigeria or outside Nigeria.
The commission’s Secretary and Legal Adviser, Barrister Benjamin Wesley Tafida, said on Wednesday in Abuja that the commission maintains only one TSA account which is available and accessible to the general public who may wish to review the record of its transactions and balances to date.
According to him, the NEDC response was due to the sustained interest and concern of many stakeholders on the Resolution of the House of Representatives to investigate the activities of the commission.
“The North East Development Commission (NEDC), which was created in 2017 was only inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 8, 2019.
“The commission was only able to access the initial take-off grant and part of the 2019 budget by November 2019.
“On inauguration, the commission was confronted with the dire, deplorable, and inhumane conditions and situations of insurgency victims particularly those in the IDP camps within the region.
“These of course are in addition to the colossal devastation of physical infrastructure and economy of the region.
“It is of course the commission’s mandate to tackle these challenges and provide succour to the people of the North East,” Tafida said.
He said that it was incumbent on the commission to address the pervasive humanitarian crisis in the region, particularly in the IDP camps.
He said that these interventions were lifesaving and that they are confident that considering the timing of funding they have discharged and still discharging this obligation creditably and humanely with an inspiring sense of responsibility.
He said that the conclusion of physical infrastructure and economic development in the region which has been designed and planned following its inauguration was hampered by the outbreak of COVID-19 but has have now resumed with the easing of the lockdown.
He listed development of ICT and Vocational Training Centres in the six North East states; Integrated Agricultural scheme and value chain development for farmers in the entire region; construction and reconstruction of education, health and water infrastructure, and the establishment of the Education Endowment Fund to tackle the education deficit of the region among others.
“So far our sources of funding have been limited to Federal Government statutory allocations only and no funding whatsoever have been solicited nor received by this commission from any body or organization whether within or outside Nigeria.
“All receipts so far from late last 2019 till date is not any close to the N100bn alleged to have disappeared. Therefore, what we have not earned could not have disappeared,” Tafida said.
He said that the commission appreciates the oversight of the House of Representatives especially this early in the commission’s short life as this no doubt was a wake-up call and guidance to ensure that the commission does not derail but fulfil its statutory mandate and meet the yearnings of all stakeholders.
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