Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Utilisation of Ecological Funds and other intervention funds into the Great Green Wall Project, yesterday, grilled the Director General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Yusuf Maina Bukar over alleged expenditure of N81 billion for tree planting over a period of eight years.
The panel, at an investigative hearing, said documents at its disposal indicated that N81 billion was spent on planting of 21 million trees in 11 frontline states in the North East and North West geopolitical zone, including Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.
The Ad-Committee also queried the expenditure of N697.17 million on renovation of office accommodation, N11.28 billion on capital projects, amongst other alleged infractions.
A member of the panel, Adebayo Balogun, while raising eyebrow over the expenditure had requested for proper briefing from the agency on the expenditure.
The committee chairman, Dabo Ismaila Haruna, in his ruling, directed the agency to re-appear before the panel next week, with evidence of its expenditure, including the statement of all the bank accounts of the agency.
The Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, while declaring the investigative hearing open, said the parliament was poised to unravel all the challenges militating against the implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme in the country.
Abass, who was represented by Dickson Takir, stated that the importance of the Great Green Wall project cannot be over-emphasised, especially against the backdrop or security challenges confronting the country.
“This Hearing is coming at a time of heightened public expectations, given our experiences with the management of public funds by agencies of government in recent times, which is threatening the
development of our nation. The importance of the Great Green Wall project cannot be over-estimated
especially in view of the security problem facing the nation in the last two decades.
“The objectives of this investigative hearing are: gather data to ensure the
program is optimally implemented, identify challenges affecting the execution of the project, to expose corruption, and guide the new
administration in the continued implementation of this policy which is
crucial to both the well-being and the security of our nation,” he said.
