By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives on Tuesday reiterated its commitment towards improving infrastructure at the rural areas across the country.
Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development, Hon. Marcus Onobun, gave the assurance in Abuja during the Committee’s inaugural meeting.
He said: “I am most honored to be chosen as the Chairman of this Committee as we are at a pivotal point in Nigeria where we can’t afford to get it wrong.
“This is one Committee that directly affects the 360 members of the house as we all represent rural communities”.
While expressing the Committee’s readiness to interface with relevant Ministries and Agencies, Hon. Onobun expressed his resolve to synergize with other Standing Committees where there are overlapping functions.
On his part, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mohamud Audu, solicited for cooperation of all stakeholders in the bid to ensure accelerated development for the rural areas across the country. He also harped on the need to replicate development at the urban areas to the rural areas
All the Members of the Committee who spoke during the inaugural meeting, pledged solidarity to the leadership of the Standing Committee.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Steel Development, Hon Zainab Gimba, frowned at the poor account submissions by the Ministry and agencies under the committee’s purview.
Speaking during the 2023 budget appraisal meeting with the Ministry of Steel Development and related agencies she was also piqued that the agencies were also not forthcoming in presenting their submissions.
She said findings from documents submitted by the Ministry and agencies shows clearly that there is a basic and vital omission of a common factor of failure to obtain valid bank statements from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to produce standard bank reconciliation statements.
“This omission calls for a credibility question, on the resultant financial statements from such a weak accounting system. Efficient accounting system and effective internal control system are comforts that ensures compliance to Laws, rules, regulations and standard that supports discharge of quality oversight function. We shall maintain uncompromising guidance towards achieving results”.
