BUDGET: REPS TO PROBE FINANCE MINISTRY OVER POOR FUNDS RELEASE

Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

The House of Representatives committee on Information and Communications Technology has said that it would investigate the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office over poor release of funds to some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the implementation of the 2013 budget.

Chairman of the committee, Rep Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (APC, Zamfara) stated this during his committee’s oversight to the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology yesterday. Gusau said the committee was appalled that the ministry whose approved budget for capital projects for the 2013 fiscal year was over N2 billion only received about N727 million with less than three months for the year to run out.
“We’re not impressed at all. This is October but only 28.05 percent of your approved budget has been released. What happens to the 72 percent now that it is less than three months to December, and you must refund unspent funds by December 31.

“We will get to the root of this matter by investigating both the budget office and the ministry of finance. We will invite those responsible for this and ask them relevant questions before getting back to the House. We can’t afford to fold our hands and see things happen this way since the budget was passed and approved by the president, which makes it to become law,” he said.
He added that if the government is not ready to continue with the ministry, it should be closed or merged with whatever ministry or department they deem necessary.
Other members of the committee also raised concerns with the way the ministry’s budget releases have been handled and assured of their resolve “to get to the bottom of the matter.”
Permanent Secretary in the ministry Dr Henry Apkan informed members that the ministry’s capital budget for 2013 was N3.7 billion out of which N1.14 billion was given to the Nigeria Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT).
He said the ministry has been able to utilize the 28.05 percent of the capital budget released to them so far by carrying out some projects in Zamfara, Abuja, Kaduna and other places.
The committee also promised to visit the sites of the said projects to ascertain the ministry’s claims.