Bubbles.

REPS STOPS NDDC FROM RELEASING N15 BILLION COUNTERPART FUNDING TO THE FG

….says NDDC Budget yet to be approved

The House of Representatives has mandated the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to put on hold the release of N15 billion counterpart funding requested by the Federal Government for humanitarian project. The House cited non budgetary provision for the said project and the time constraints in its execution.

This followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Rep. Unyime Idem, on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday April 6, 2023.

Speaking on the motion, the Ukanafun born lawmaker noted that the NDDC was established to attend to intervention and humanitarian needs as well as promote the physical development of the Niger Delta region. He however noted that these functions are carried out based on relevant laws of the land which has not been followed in the case of project in question.

“Aware that part of the fund available for use by the NDDC is money recovered on its behalf by EFCC and given to the Commission, to ease the implementation and its financial obligations. Cognizant that the Federal government sent a special request mandating the Ministry of Niger Delta to jointly finance an intervention and humanitarian programme of sums running into several Billions of Naira using the money recovered by the EFCC without budgetary provision” Idem said

Continuing, Idem noted that the NDDC Budget estimates for 2021, 2022 & 2023 is before the House for legislative approval hence the NDDC cannot release such funds to the Federal Government. He added that such request for intervention and humanitarian proposals by the federal government without requisite financial appropriation and approval by this honourable House is illegal and a breach of the Appropriation Act.

Rising in defense of the motion, the House of Representatives unanimously mandated the Niger Delta Development Commission to put on hold the release of N15 billion counterpart funding requested by the federal government, pending the approval of the Commission’s budget by the House.

It also mandated its committee on NDDC to scrutinize the request made by the federal government and report back to the house within 2 weeks.