The Senate on Tuesday set up eight-man Ad-hoc committee to conduct the public hearing on the alleged misappropriation of fund released through the Presidential initiative on the North East.
The committee headed by Senator Shehu Sani will also investigate the alleged diversion of grains and other food items from the strategic grains reserves, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other sources for the Internal Displace Persons (IDPs) in various camps in the area.
The committee is also expected to investigate the insignificant presence of officials of the federal ministry of health at the various camps. The development follows a motion by Senate leader Ali Ndume that rather than using the fund appropriated for the IDPs and the North East to ameliorate the problems, the focus of the disbursement so far made have been used to feather other interest.
“The Presidential initiative on the North East which was inaugurated by President Buhari a year ago to manage the crisis is yet to show the tangible result on ground with over half of the money appropriated to it released. “Also, notwithstanding the huge budgetary allocation by the National Assembly and the various released by the executives including significant donations from many donors, the situation on the ground is not cheering,” Ndume said.
The Senator wonders how project such as renovation of rehabilitation of police station in Kwambir at the cost of N80.7 million was awarded to JMT Global Technologies and removal of invasive plant species along river channels at the cost N203.3 million to JOSMAN Technologies and N117 million paid to Lintex International for supply of temporary shelters with no record of these shelters anywhere.
In his contribution, the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu also lamented how the Presidential initiatives address the issue of hunger by organizing conferences and seminars. “How do you address the issue of hunger by organizing conferences and seminar,” Ekweremadu said.
Senator Samuel Anyanwu described the alleged fraud as IDps gate. He added that those involved in the fraud must be brought to book.
Senate President Bukola Saraki said the alleged fraud is inhuman and callous. He urged the committee to do a good job to redeem the image of the country especially as it involved the international communities.
Other members of the ad-hoc committee are Ali Wakill, Theodore Orji, Ben Bruce, Oluremi Tinubu, Omotayo Alasoadura, Solomon Olamilekon and Yahaya Abudllahi. The committee is expected to bring back their report in two weeks
