The House of Representatives has directed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to suspend the release of N15 billion counterpart funding requested by the federal government, pending the approval of its budget by the House.
The directive was given after the adoption of a motion on matters of urgent public importance by Unyime Idem at the plenary on Thursday.
Presenting the motion, he said that, the Federal government had sent a special request mandating the Ministry of Niger Delta to jointly finance an intervention and humanitarian programme running into several billions of naira using the money recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) without budgetary provision.
The lawmaker said the NDDC budget estimates for 2021, 2022 and 2023 are still before the House for legislative approval.
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Idem said, “Such request for intervention and humanitarian proposals by the federal governmentent without requisite financial appropriation and approval by this honourable House is illegal and a breach of the Appropriation Act.
“Part of the fund available for use by the Commission is money recovered on its behalf by the EFCC and given to the Commission to ease the implementation and its financial obligations”.
The lawmaker reminded that the Ministry of Niger Delta was inaugurated and commissioned by the Presidency to attend to intervention and humanitarian needs of the Niger Delta region of the country and promote the physical development of the Niger Delta region.
The House therefore mandated its committee on NDDC to scrutinise such request made by the federal government and report back to the house within two weeks.
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