Lawmakers Summon Akpabio, NDDC Board Over 2019 Budget

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio and the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over failure to present its 2019 budget to the National Assembly.

The lower legislative chambers, during plenary on Tuesday, resolved to investigate the refusal of the commission to submit the budget 14 months after expiration.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia).

Kalu in his motion accused the commission of making expenses in contravention of the provisions of the 1999 constitution, particularly section 80 (3, 4), adding that within this period, the commission awarded contract of over N10billion without the approval of the National Assembly.

“As at today, more than 13 months after the time required by law, the Commission is yet to submit an estimate of its expenditure and income for the year 2019, thereby grossly failing to comply with the aforementioned statutory provision, by which the budget estimates should have been presented to the House before September 30, 2018.”

He revealed further that the House Ad hoc committee which investigated the commission discovered 250 phoney contracts without due process.

Kalu added that the commission has failed to present the budget “despite series of invitation by both committees of the Senate and House upon the expiration of the 2018 budget of the Commission, NDDC has refused to honour such invitations regarding its 2019 budget estimates.”

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila in his reaction gave the committee 4 weeks to conclude its investigation into the commission’s activities in the past 3 years and submit a report to the House.