[UPDATE] Ecological fund probe: Reps query NALDA, summon MDAs

House of Representatives Committee on Ecology, Monday, said that the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has queries to answer with regards to the ecological fund received and expended.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka gave the ruling at the investigative hearing on the “Need to Investigate the Total Consolidated Accruals and Utilization of Ecological Fund”.

The remarks however came after the Director General of the Authority, Prince Paul Ikonne had made a presentation on the details of funds received since 2022.

“We made submission already as requested by your committee, Mr. Chairman. From June, 2020 till the day of requesting for this submission to be made which from March 2022, NALDA has received a total N9,642,557,654.91. Up till date, NALDA has received a total of N12, 740,506,664”, he had said.

Reacting, Isiaka said “NALDA, we have received your submission and having gone through it, the committee members have so many queries and questions. Before we put on the spot you still want a bit so that we go through the rest.”

The chairman also expressed displeasure over the non appearance of some agencies of federal government as well as several State governments.

According to him, about 10 States which included Ogun, Enugu, Plateau, Kwara, Imo, Niger, Ondo, Borno, Jigawa  honoured the invitation out of the 36 States invited.

Relying on a motion by the committee, Isiaka summoned the head of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA while re-inviting others.

He said: “Those that refused to cause appearance here, or refused to respond to our letters. That anyone willing to test the capacity of this committee will not be disappointed. It is very obvious that people are even just paying lip service in his country and being frivolous about the clamour for devolution of powers, such that the urge to always go cap in and to the central by states this committee and House of Reps has in the past few months have worked assiduously to make sure that the 774 local governments off this country and the 36 state including the FCT, their self sustenance in terms of funds and allocation to them for ecological challenges and now, out of 36 states of the federation, we do not even have half of the representatives here with us.

“I don’t know where we are going to. This is the second opportunity and window open to them. The first was when we started public hearing on the regulation of ecological fund, that is the Bill, as it where that time, only three states came here. And again today, we are having the investigative hearing and of course, while we have so many stakeholders who can contribute and then we have our take home, our recommendations aside that the House had passed for the third reading and signed the newly proposed formula to sharing which the President had even keyed into. Now the states representatives, or the states think they should not just cause appearance to help us share ideas. We are all working for Nigerians for the benefit of the citizens.

“But then again to prevent the ecological fund from being seen as a slush fund, Mr Speaker directed the committee to make it in such a way that no other institution…because before now any law is being presented, they always asked them for source of fund. They always say ecological fund. So, everybody is seeing it as an idle fund. Now, we are calling all of us to sit down, let us allow the whole world to know that it is not an idle fund. We are

“By new legislation that maybe coming we are saying enough is enough. We do not want anyone to be referring to it and say it should be their funding. They should look for their source of fund elsewhere.

“If the President of the country could send to us through the SGF and ecological project office a compendium of how it spent the ecological money under its administration, I don’t see anyone or institution that should refuse the invitation of this committee.

“But we have some good news for them. We still give them that window to hurriedly make their submissions and  appear to defend whatever they are submitting, or they would be willing to go and defend themselves at another institutions of the government. Because when we send our reports, definitely another institution would invite them, i can assure them. Or lastly by the constitutional provision, we would make sure such person or institution appears before this committee through a bench warrant.

“NEMA did not reply. We have written two three times, no information no response. The MD of NEMA having failed to respond to the three letters written to him to respond to monies allotted to NEMA is hereby summoned to appear before this committee on Wednesday 9th November by 10am.

“HYPPADEC having failed to appear before this committee after three letters written must cause appearance. The MD is hereby summoned to appear before this committee on November 9, by 10am.

“Federal Ministry of Health, we have written two letters so far, no response to one. The last and final letter would be written to that ministry today and we urge the Ministry to respond to it on or before November 9.

“Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, we have it on record how much they have drawn from ecological funds and we have written two letters for them to appear before this committee. No representation and no reason for failure to show up. We are writing the third letter which must be responded to on or before November 9, 2022. This is directed at the Minister. He must reply to our letter on or before Wednesday, November 9.

“It is so unfortunate that we invited the DG of Nigeria’s Governors Forum and he is also not here and no representation. Let him be reminded that Sections 88 and 89 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria did not mince any words when it states that the House, ie the National Assembly, can and shall invite anybody. That is the underlined word “anybody”. So, the committee is hereby re-inviting him to appear before this committee on Wednesday November 9, by 10am.”