By Jennifer Y Omiloli
The Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) House Committee, Rep. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (APC-Ondo), said the Commission had been spending for 11 months illegally and without appropriation.
This is even as he said the NDDC has been running foul of the appropriation laws for the past 14 months since it had to send no budget proposal for approval to the National Assembly since Sept. 2018.
He said the commission had spent without approval since the expiry of the approved 2018 budget.
Tunji-Ojo, speaking in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said the commission was also running foul of its 2020 budget as it had to submit its 2020 proposal three months after it was due.
He said all of the NDDC’s expenditure amounted to extra-budgetary, which, he said, violated the NDDC Act and the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution.
The Rep said the committee would investigate the matter thoroughly and make strong recommendations’ no matter whose ox is gored’
“It is a pathetic story, it is not a palatable experience and I am happy that the ninth Assembly is living up to expectation as the people’s house and looking after the people of Nigeria.
“We know that the NDDC is still operating 2018 budget, passed by the previous assembly, we are in November and the 2019 budget has not been brought to the National Assembly yet.
“It is unheard of; it is an aberration and illegal.
“It is beyond normal reasoning because preparing a budget and summiting to the house is not a difficult matter,’’ he said.
Quoting Section 18 of the NDDC Act, he said “the commission shall submit an estimation of the commission’s expenditure and income for the following year for approval no later than September 30 each year.”
Tunji-Ojo said the NDDC was supposed to have submitted its 2020 budget by Sept. 30, 2019 at the latest.
According to him, it’s unheard of; it’s ridiculous to say that the house is still calling on them to carry it 14 months after they are due to send the budget for 2019.
The legislator challenged the basis of the activity of the NDDC and the validity and authority of the operations of the commission over the past 14 months.
“This is an era of change; it is an era of Next Level; we must follow the law and ensure transparency and accountability becomes the hallmark of all we do.
“We shall look at all the laws and adequate recommendations will be made by the committee no matter whose ox is gored.
“We promised our people that there will be new dynamics and that the equation will not be the same; we promised them that this commission will work for and with them, fending for their priority.
“We are not loosing focus on that.
“What is important to me is that after four years, I want to look back and see a better Niger Delta region by performing our oversight duty responsibly to the delight of our people,’’ he said.
