N500bn intervention funds: Reps query high number of consultants
Wed Aug 24, 2016 02:17:pm National
2.2K By sosa hills
The Federal Government was yesterday queried over why the N500 billion allocated to combat poverty in the country was not utilised eight months after it was allocated.
This query was made by the House of Representatives Joint committees on Legislative Budget and Research and Poverty Alleviation during an interactive session with members of the Federal Government team.
Speaking with the team led by Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment, Mrs Maryam Uwais, the Chairman House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, Hon Golu Timothy, noted that the N500 billion has remained idle in the last eight months.
He said: "Importantly, we must note that a budget of N500bn coordinated basically through one office is huge.
"Transparency is key and we at the House of Representatives want to ensure that the office is competent enough to coordinate such a huge amount of funds without being overwhelmed by the job.
"We, however, believe that our synergy will assist you also to implement these programmes efficiently and effectively and thereby give comfort to Nigerians that this is not another white elephant project like PAP, MAMSER, NAPEP, Peoples Bank etc.
"The budget by the NASS and assented to by Mr President has N300 billion as recurrent expenditure under four broad areas: Conditional cash transfers, Home grown school feeding programme, Post NYSC Entrepreneur Development programme and Micro Credit Loans."
This query was made by the House of Representatives Joint committees on Legislative Budget and Research and Poverty Alleviation during an interactive session with members of the Federal Government team.
Speaking with the team led by Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment, Mrs Maryam Uwais, the Chairman House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, Hon Golu Timothy, noted that the N500 billion has remained idle in the last eight months.
He said: "Importantly, we must note that a budget of N500bn coordinated basically through one office is huge.
"Transparency is key and we at the House of Representatives want to ensure that the office is competent enough to coordinate such a huge amount of funds without being overwhelmed by the job.
"We, however, believe that our synergy will assist you also to implement these programmes efficiently and effectively and thereby give comfort to Nigerians that this is not another white elephant project like PAP, MAMSER, NAPEP, Peoples Bank etc.
"The budget by the NASS and assented to by Mr President has N300 billion as recurrent expenditure under four broad areas: Conditional cash transfers, Home grown school feeding programme, Post NYSC Entrepreneur Development programme and Micro Credit Loans."
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