Reps vows to ensure accountability in defence, security spending

The House of Representatives has promised to ensure transparency and accountability in spending funds allocated for defence and fight against insecurity.

In a statement on Sunday, the Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson (APC Lagos), said security agencies in the country must live up to their constitutional responsibilities to meet the expectations of Nigerians to protect their lives and properties.

He said his committee will work to ensure accountability and prudence in government’s spending in the area of security.

The chairman also assured all security agencies that his committee is ready to work with them and support them because of the enormous tasks before both the committee and the security agencies.

He said the House has also called for the provision of a special fund to be approved by the National Assembly outside the national budget to continue the fight against insecurity.

According to him, the decision, followed the outcome of the security meeting between the leadership of the House and the service chiefs, held on Tuesday, September 23 2019.

Benson said his committee will ensure robust engagements with security agencies in the next four years of the 9th House, which he said will result in achieving the set goals.

“I want to call on the security agencies to be ready to cooperate with us as a committee. We are here to work for Nigerians, to ensure the protection of their lives and property. Of course, the security of the people is paramount, that is why we call on the security agencies to cooperate with us.

“On our part, we will work assiduously to ensure that all the operational needs of the security agencies are met through adequate budgetary provisions. This is a new era, and Nigerians will not accept anything less than good results from us all.

“We will also ensure adequate and attentive oversight, especially of the 2019 budget so that we can evaluate the progress of work for ourselves and come up with the necessary ways of improving things as we prepare to receive the 2020 budget.

“I therefore enjoin all the security agencies under the House Committee on Defence to be up and doing. They should be as open as possible to us as parliamentarians, and we would do the same to them.

“We are not unmindful of the enormous tasks ahead of us and the high expectations of Nigerians on us. We have no reason not to deliver. We must get things right as far as security is concerned in this country.

“We acknowledge that the military needs the support of every sector of the society and we all, from traditional rulers, the media, and citizens, have a critical role to play in assisting the country achieve a secured society,” Hon. Benson said.