*accuse Minister of withdrawing ,5billion for military vehicles
By Gift Chapi-Odekina
The house of Representatives on Thursday adopted a motion to investigate the Northeast Development Commission over an alleged misappropriation of 100 billion naira.
The motion which was moved by the minority Leader of the House, Rep Ndidu Elumelu during plenary in Abuja, alledged that N100 billion so far disbursed to the commission by the federal government is said to have vanished under a year without any visible impact on the refugees nor any infrastructural development credited to the name of the commission in the whole of the Northeast.
He said that there were allegations of how the managing director and his close associates diverted funds meant for the commission to purchasing of choice properties in highbrow neighborhoods of Abuja, Kaduna and maiduguri to the detriment of the suffering refugees and infrastructural development.
Elumelu also stated that there were allegations of how the minister of Humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Sadiya umar Farouk was said to have entered into an unholy deal with the managing director of the commission to illegally withdraw the sum of N5 billion from the account of the commission to purchase military vehicles without any recourse to the board.
An act, he said was completely disregards for the country’s procurement laws and must be seriously frowned at.
“Disturbed that though the managing director single handedly procured all Corona virus materials and supplies to the tune of N5 billion without an approval from the board,there is said to be another massive corruption scheme on the verge of being implemented in the name of housing scheme in maiduguri without the board’s knowledge.
” Aware that there has been massive displacement of Nigerian citizens in the Northeast as a result of the activities of Boko Haram insurgents, where houses, schools, mosques, churches , farmlands and businesses were destroyed thereby rendering people homeless and jobless.
“Further aware the NEDC which was set up to ameliorate the sufferings of the people is alleged to be enmeshed in serious corrupt practices by the management .
” Concerned that the corrupt practices includes high handedness by the managing director Mohammed goni alkali, over inflation of contracts, awards of non existent contracts, massive contract splitting and flagrant disregard for the procurement laws in the award of contracts.
” Further disturbed that these consistent abuse of procurement laws if not put to check may defeat the purpose for the establishment of the commission, hence the need for an urgent investigation,” he said.
Th House therefore in its resolve mandated its Committees on, Finance, Procurement and NEDC to investigate the allegations and report back in 8 weeks.
