Senate committee invites finance minister over alleged insertion of N206bn in humanitarian affairs ministry’s budget

The Senate Committee on Special Duties on Monday summoned the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, over the alleged insertion of N206 billion in the 2023 budget of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, announced the invitation of Ahmed when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, appeared before the committee for defence of the ministry’s 2023 budget.

A member of the committee Sen. Ishaku Abbo, had asked Farouq about N206 billion in the budget that the minister intended to borrow.

He said: “In 2023, you intend to borrow N206 billion for a project. What are the projects to be implemented and is it captured in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework?

“If it is, where are the projects location and activities attached to this.”

In her response, the minister said: “Yes, we made mention of the projects for 2022 which was not released and part of it was for the North-East Development Commission (NEDC).

READ ALSO: ‘N5,000 monthly stipend from Nigerian govt means a lot to poor Nigerians,’ Humanitarian Affairs minister, Farouq

“The money was not released and now we have seen it recurring by almost 10 folds.

“We are also going to clarify from the ministry of finance to know why this increase despite the fact that the previous year, the money was not even released for the project.

“So we will get the details and then send them to you on that.

“On upscaling of the National Social Safety-Net Project (NSSNP); These projects under the National Social Safety-Net, the Condition Cash Transfer, the updating of the National Social Register and the Rapid Response Register (RRR) are to cushion the effect of inflation.

“This is all I can say for this. I cannot really give full details of how this amount is going to be utilised because it is something that was negotiated between the ministry of finance and the World Bank.”

The chairman, therefore, approved the motion to summon the finance minister to appear before the committee and provide an explanation on the N206 billion.

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