Probe states, LGS share of Ecological funds, Reps tell States Assemblies

This is just as NEMA, NEDC, may be blocked from accessing the funds.

Chairman of the House Committe on Ecological Funds, Honourable  Ibrahim Isiaka, who gave the task in his remarks at a public hearing on “A Bill for An Act Establishing the regulation of Ecological Funds to address Nigeria’s ecological challenges particularly, erosion, landslide, desertification, flood, oil spillage, drought and for related matters,” revealed that the total outflow distributed to the Federal, states , FCT , the 774 local government areas and government agencies from the ecological funds from January to September 2020 amounted to N54, 819,713,400.08.bn

Though mention was not made to the actual figures the states and the local governments benefitted from the funds within the period specified, the Committee , however, pointed that it was the constitutional responsibilities of the states Assembly to oversight the funds.

According to the Chairman, it behooves on each State House of Assembly not to shirk on their constitutional responsibilities of oversighting allocations to the 36 States of the Federation and the 774 local government Areas who are equally beneficiaries of the funds

He noted that as an intervention fund set up by the Federal government to address the multifarious ecological challenges across the country, the upsurge in the deployment of the fund as another sources of funding for some agencies who are also benefitting from budgetary allocation was worrisome.

He explained that such abnormality is a major deviation from the original purpose of creating the Ecological Fund which has also resulted in a serious depletion of the Fund

The Committee however warned such agencies , like  the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, North East Development Commission, NEDC, who are culpable and who have also declined the Committee’ s invitation to account for their shares, that if by December 31st, 2020,  they still refuse to open their books for scrutiny, the House shall have not only the option of invoking the necessary constitutional provision , but will proceed forthwith to suspend the agencies from assessing any fund from the ecological funds

The chairman noted that the Bill seeks to provide Oxygen and life , insulate and crave space for effective utilization of the fund and not attempt to alter the already established structures , both line and staff.

He challenged Nigerians to be champions of the human ecology, noting that if we are friends to the environment, we would be able to solve 50 percent of the nation’ s ecological challenges

Meanwhile Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by the deputy House leader, Peter Akpatason, reassured that the Legislative Agenda of the 9th House of Representatives commits to seek and implement legislative solutions to the problem of ecological damage in our country.

He said the House took  seriously the devastation of the natural environment and that the consequences which are beyond food and economics hasb  national security effects