N8. 9bn IDPs feeding programme: ‘NEMA governing council has case to answer’
The furore generated by the House of Representatives recommendations on the management of funds to feed Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East intensified Tuesday, with the Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Management, Rep. Ali Isa, insisting that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) governing council headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has questions to answer over the utilization of funds under the federal government’s emergency feeding programme.
Rep. Isa stated this while addressing journalists following reactions that have trailed the adoption of the report of the House committee which investigated the activities of the disaster management agency.
While reassertion that due process wasn’t followed before N5.8 billion and another N3.1 billion were approved and withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to fund the North East emergency food programme, the committee chairman declared that Osinbajo as Vice President approved the expenditure even when the government’s procurement process wasn’t adhered to.
Asked categorically if the Vice President has a case to answer in the alleged financial infractions committed by NEMA, he answered in the affirmative, declaring that “yes.
He (Osinbajo) does have questions to answer. There are a lot of issues that have been raised even during the investigation.
“The N5.8 billion was for the release of emergency food items to the North East. The committee was able to confirm that the amount was removed from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and not even from this account but from the Eurobond approved by the National Assembly.
“So removing the money from the Eurobond we feel is not right. The money was released directly into the companies accounts without any procurement, without any award letter and without any process.
“That is why l stated that up till this moment, l have no regrets, that if any of the agencies feel due process had been followed and documents can be provided, they can bring the documents to me, l will bring the documents to the House and apologize to Nigerians.”
While denying that the House resolutions were politically motivated, the lawmaker expressed surprise how the Vice President’s could respond to issues when it hadn’t received any official communication from the House.
He maintained that beneficiary states in the North East through their representatives at the investigative hearing conducted by the House, denied receiving food consignments for IDPs in their respective states.
“Let me clarify, the Vice President approved the releases when he was acting president and the money was removed from the Eurobond. But in our submissions there is no where l or the committee specifically mentioned either the Vice President or Prof. Osinbajo.
“What l also know is that he is the chairman of the governing council of NEMA. So if he knows there is something that l don’t know, his office may be to respond to some of the issues.
“I have documents from CBN and the ministry of finance that these releases be paid directly to the said companies account without the signing of any agreements with the companies, without given them any award letter, and without any procurement process money was paid into their accounts.
“When the committee tried to find out what happened to the procurement, everybody tried to transfer the blame. When we asked the accountant general of the federation, he directed us to NEMA and when we asked NEMA, they directed us to find out from the governing council.
“Even the committee sent an invitation to him (Osinbajo) but he directed the NEMA director general to represent him. So definitely, there were a lot of issues.
“The directors who were suspended after testifying before the committee, we were informed that the governing council that hasn’t been in existence for many years was hurriedly inaugurated by the acting president and the same people were suspended to jeopardize the committee from getting the necessary information,” he added.
