Ecological Fund: Reps begin probe of utilisation by MDAs, States and LGAs.                   

.Summon NEMA DG, other CEOs

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The House of Representatives has began investigations into the utilisation of accrued funds from the Ecological Funds office by Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs as well as the 36 states and 774 local government areas.

The House Committee on Ecological Funds had kicked-off an investigative hearing on the matter on Monday and summoned Director-General National Emergency Management Agency NEMA and all the heads of relevant agencies of the federal government and re-invited Accountant-General of the Federation and Commissioners of Finance at the thirty-six states.

Speaker of the House Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila who declared the investigative hearing open said that the House Committee on Ecological Funds is mandated to investigate the total consolidated accruals and utilisation of ecological funds by these agencies and governments.

Represented by the Deputy House Leader Hon.Peter Akpatason,the speaker said that the probe is to to gather necessary data needed to address challenges of environmental degradation, climate change, flooding and other natural disasters.

He added that the investigation is not a witch-hunt but an excercise intended to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework that guides the operations of the government agency by the House

Also in a opening remarks, Chairman of the House Committee Hon. Isiaka A Ibrahim said that the House Committee probe is to ascertain the accruals to these government agencies and states and local governments from the funds.

He also stated that the Ecological Funds was through administrative and guidline procedures since 1981 as a as a special intervention fund to address ecological challenges in all the states of the country.

He noted that its composition is made up of 2% form the Consolidated Revenue Fund CRF and 1% of Derivation Fund and lamented that hat 27 out of the 36 States of the federation had been affected by flooding resulting from river over overflowing, poor drainage and poor urban planning.

The lawmkers had grilled the State Commissioners of Finance of Enugu, Borno and Ogun and Kwara states on the receipt of and disbursements of the funds by these states and discovered that what some of the states got is at variance with the document available to the committee.

The House panel had earlier extended invitation to the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, National Hero-Electric Power Development Agency, HYPRED, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FERMA and  the thirty-six state governments on the issue.

The lawmkers frowned at the absence of some of the heads of government agencies and summoned the Director-General of NEMA Mr.Ahmed Mustapha to appear unfailingly on Wednesday November 9, 2022 at 10:00 am.

Other heads of agencies summoned include the Managing Director Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa and other heads of agencies.

The Chairman of the House panel Hon.Ibrahim also re-invited the Ministries of Health, Niger Delta and the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FERMA and other stakeholders to apper at the investigative hearing at the same date and time after failing to honour or even communicate to the panel.