- It’s an act of sabotage, says Gbajabiamila
By Tony Akowe, Abuja
The House of Representatives has accused Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) of government of diverting funds for unrelated purposes other than what they were meant for in the annual budget.
The House said such act was capable of frustrating government’s macro-economic framework.
It mandated its standing committees to diligently investigate agencies they supervise and identify lapses, if any.
The House Committees on Finance and Appropriation were mandated to liaise with the Ministry of Finance to ascertain the actual releases it made to the MDAs in compliance with the 2021 Appropriation Act.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance brought by Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu alleging incessant abuse and disregard for the 2021 Appropriation Act the MDAs.
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Leading the debate on the motion, Elumelu said the MDAs were the channels for delivering government policies and programmes, while the constitution confers the powers of appropriation on the Parliament as well as its oversight responsibilities.
The lawmaker noted that Section 80(4) of the constitution specifically provides that no money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidation Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the federation except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly.
He said complying with the constitutional requirements on the spending of public funds would ensure effective and efficient management of public resources as well as put the nation’s wealth and resources to work for the common good of all Nigerians.
Elumelu stressed that though between 40-60 per cent of funds had been released for implementing the 2021 Appropriation Act, most of the MDAs had not dispensed the funds for the purposes they were meant for.
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