By Corereporters
The Coalition of North East Civil Society Organisations and Voluntary Youth Organization in the North East of Nigeria has faulted the call by the House of Representatives to probe the finances of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC). The coalition is also demanding an apology from the lawmakers for alleging that the sum of 100 billion is unaccounted for by the management of the commission.
At a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Comrade Godiya Adam, Hamidu Saidu, Abubakar Askira and Haruwa Abdulsalam said they are disturbed with comments credited to the minority leader of the House of Representatives Ndudi Elumelu who raised the issue on the floor of the green chambers alleging that massive corruption is ongoing at the North-East Development Commission.
Honourable Elumelu on July 23, 2020 moved a motion on the floor that corrupt practices in the commission include high handedness by the managing director of the commission, inflation of contracts, award of non-existence contracts, massive contracts splitting and flagrant disregard for the procurement laws in the award of contracts.
The minority leader of the House of Representatives told his colleagues that the 100 billion disbursed to the commission by the Federal Government have vanished under a year without any visible impact in the war torn North East of the country.
The Coalition while reacting to these allegations said the lawmakers have left their responsibilities and are chasing shadows. Therefore they pass a vote of confidence on the management of the North-East Development Commission as performing intervention agency in the zone.
Recalled that the bill establishing the NEDC was signed to law in 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari after it was passed by the National Assembly.
Furthered recalled that the North East Development Commission was established to replace the Presidential Initiative on North East.
