The House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Funds on Wednesday chided Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Federal Government and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) over their absence at the investigative hearing it organised to probe the utilisation of ecological funds, describing it as counter-productive.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the investigative hearing, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ayokunle Ibrahim Isiaka, lamented that the stakeholders were purposely invited to come and defend the amount they received and how it was spent but decided to stay away.
The lawmaker specifically frowned at the absence of the Ministries of Health and Niger Delta Affairs despite being major beneficiaries of the funds in question.
While expressing deep concern over the absence of the ALGON representatives which is the closest to the people at the grassroots, the chairman warned that the House might rescind its decision on any support being given to the 774 local governments and MDAs if they continue this way.
According to him, “apart from the yearly appropriation which you are entitled to, the National Assembly still stepped up the ante by creating you; or those that had been created before, you have an amendment to the law that created you, and we now create a space that says ‘take money from the ecological fund to support you’.
“Why we became a bit worried is because the same father that created some of these agencies – that is the National Assembly, through legislation and law – has now said ‘let us talk and review what we are doing,’ going forward, for us to know where you have challenges.
“Unfortunately, many of the agencies became evasive. The situation we are right now, we are not expecting and hoping that such will repeat itself in 2023. You can see the people that we are fasting because of? They are eating lunch. That is ALGON. Last week they refused to come and today they refused to show up as well.
We have 774 local governments in the country and by the present provision, the entire local governments the 774 of them are taking 0.62 per cent from the Consolidated Revenue Account as their ecological fund.
“But now, for two times running we have invited them to come and share with us. It is so sad and unfortunate that this is the third time we would ask them to come and they did not. Why are ALGON officials not here? We are not shedding any light on them; this is the National Assembly and they have their legislative houses.
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“They have the councillors that can ask them how they spent their monies. Even the states, they have the Houses of Assembly to ask them how they are spending their monies. It is not us but we have a common cord binding all of us together; that is the cord we now want to continue to strengthen for the good citizens of Nigeria. The choice is ours
This came just as some members of the committee accused the management of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of being partial in the distribution of relief materials to victims of flooding across the states of the federation as they kicked when the Director General of NEMA, Ahmed Mustapha, told them that the agency, following the flood disaste,r reached out to and responded to over 1,427,370 displaced persons in all the states of the federation and the FCT.
Mustapha also disclosed that the provision of food and non-food items for immediate relief and building materials to facilitate long term rehabilitation of the impacted population was still ongoing.
While kicking at the statement, Hon. Oghuma Johnson (APC, Edo), accused the agency of favouring a particular region of the country in their relief materials distribution selection process.
The lawmaker before walking out of the sitting, told the DG that he was partial and that the impact of their distribution claims had not been seen or felt in his constituency and Edo State as a whole.
According to him, “In the whole of my area, we do not have any assembly members and you said you informed assembly members from my state and I am here. It is my own federal constituency that is swallowed up by the flood. I moved a motion concerning my federal constituency and that is the only way they communicate to you. I do not have any personal relationship with you. I don’t have to ask you for anything because I do not need anything from you.
“For my people, they are part of Nigeria and I want to put it to you that you people were not appointed to be partial. You swore an oath before you took your office. The way you treat some of us from this area, is that the same way you are treating other people? I am bitter because of the way you have abandoned these people. My state is never recognised. You have never done anything in Edo State and you call yourself NEMA. Is NEMA not Nigeria? Is it a regional organidation?”
While corroborating Hon Johnson’d statement, the chairman said: “Everything starts and ends at your table. Nobody is asking for any special favour. But what you are doing if they (lawmakers) are carried along, the pressure on them will lessen. And I am telling that here as we are seated here, there are three members from Ogun State here, including I as the chairman of this committee.”
Also, Hon. Adewunmi Onanuga (APC, Ogun) said that she had written twice to the agency with regards to issues in her state and constituency, not once has anyone called her back.
While saying that she had issues with the way the agency is being run, the lawmaker claimed that not once did they get any information with regards to what NEMA is doing in the whole of that South West.
Meanwhile, the DG while giving details of consolidated accruals and ecological fund utilisation from 2011 – 2022, explained that the sum of N112,137,641,074.17 was expended in disaster management activities across the country.
He however noted that unlike other appropriated funds, balances from ecological funds are rolled over to the next fiscal year.
For 2010 expenditure, the NEMA DG said that the documents could not be sighted as they were vandalised during the EndsSARS protests, and police extract to that effect has been obtained.
While lamenting that 2022 flood disaster is the worst flood disaster in the recorded history, the DG added that it was by far more devastating than the 2012 flood which was hitherto considered unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
According to him, “as predicted, the 2022 flood hit the country with devastating consequences, impacted thousands of communities and wreaked havoc in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. A total of 612 persons lost their lives, 3,219,780 persons were affected, 1,427,370 persons were displaced and 2,776 others suffered various degrees of injuries. A total of 181,600 houses were partially damaged and 123,807 houses were totally damaged. A total of 176,852 hectares of farmland were partially destroyed while 392,300 hectares of farmland got totally destroyed as a result of the floods.
“In line with committee’s request, number three of the letters aforementioned, fine copies of audited accounts and financial statements for the year 2010 to 2020 audited by Messrs Razak Kadiri and Co, Chartered Accountants and Tijani Isa and Co, Chartered Accountants. The 2021 audited accounts report is still being finalised by Tijani Musa Isa and Co and would be made available as soon as it is concluded.”
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