The Senate has stepped down consideration of 2021 and 2022 budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The NDDC 2021 and 2022 budget had been subjects of controversy in both chambers of the National Assembly.
This had prompted the Senate to set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate why the Commission had no approved budget for those two consecutive years.
The committee, in carrying out the assignment invited the management and board of NDDC, which exposed the deep gulf between the two organs and how the management had been spending billions of naira without recourse to budget or board approval.
Unfortunately, when the Committee submitted its report for consideration on Thursday, the Senate resolved to step it down for “inconclusive job”.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (Taraba Central) while presenting the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on 2021 and 2022 Budget estimates of NDDC, urged his colleagues to receive and consider the report.
However, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan said “because of insufficiency of data or information at the disposal of the committee, the committee was not able to conclude this job and this is something that is supposed to go into our records. Whatever that should be in our records should be something that meets the standards.”
The motion to step down the consideration of the budget was moved by Senator Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central) and seconded by Senator Gershon Bassey (Cross River South).
The Senate voted to step down the consideration of the budget.
As it is, the 10th National Assembly will consider the matter.
The Senate said It was unfortunate that the National Assembly was still talking about 2021 and 2022 budget of the NDDC in the middle of 2023 because of the lawlessness in the Commission in the period under review.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan however commended the Ad-hoc Committee, saying it didn’t fail to do the work even though it was constrained.
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