Senate to probe alleged unauthorised spending in NDDC budget

Senate on Tuesday set up an ad hoc committee to investigate alleged unauthorised spending by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on its 2021 and 2022 budget estimates.

The upper legislative chamber also stood down consideration of the report of the commission’s 2023 budget estimates.

This followed the adoption of a motion presented by the Senator representing Kebbi Central District, Adamu Alero, at the plenary.

The former Kebbi State governor had in his presentation alleged unauthorised spending by NDDC on its 2021, 2022, and 2023 budget estimates.

He spoke after the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Senator Amos Bulus, presented reports on the NDDC’s three budget estimates.

Alero said it was a breach of the constitution for NDDC to spend the budget estimates without the National Assembly’s approval.

Other lawmakers who opposed the consideration of the budget estimates were Senators Seriake Dickson and Solomon Adeola.

READ ALSO: Senate insists only confirmed board can defend NDDC budget

In his remark, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said: “We are faced with a situation where expenditure was done probably for more than six months or probably 80 percent of the expenditure has been done and we need to know what has happened.”

The Senate, thereafter, stood down consideration of the NDDC’s 2023 budget for further information and clarification on the figures contained in the budget.

The committee is headed by Senator Yusuf Yusuf.

Other members of the committee are Senators Seriake Dickson, Uche Ekwunife, Abdullahi Yahaya, Saidu Alkali, Adetunbi Olubumi, and Sadik Sulaiman.

The panel has one week to turn in its report.

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