The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) over the alleged disappearance of N100 billion released to it by the Federal Government.
The House passed the resolution at the plenary on Thursday.
The resolution was based on a motion moved by the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, titled: ‘Need to Investigate the Alleged Sleaze and Misappropriation of N100 billion at the North East Development Commission’.
Consequently, the House mandated its committees on Finance, Procurement and the NEDC to “exhaustively investigate these allegations and report back in eight weeks.”
Moving the motion, Elumelu said, “The NEDC, which was set up to ameliorate the sufferings of the people, is alleged to be enmeshed in serious corrupt practices by the management.
“The House is concerned that the corrupt practices include highhandedness by the Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali; inflation of contracts, awards of non-existent contracts, massive contract splitting and flagrant disregard for the procurement laws in the award of contracts.”
The House also urged the President to sanction the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, for allegedly shunning summons by its committee probing cases of human trafficking in the country.
The House Committee on Diaspora Affairs accused Ngige of refusing to release relevant documents to aid its investigation of illegal agents, who traffic Nigerians to other countries.
The committee also recommended that the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, William Alo, should equally be sanctioned.
The Chairman of the committee, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, presented the report of the panel at the plenary on Thursday and it was unanimously adopted.
The lawmakers summoned Ngige to appear before the House and provide all the required documents.
The House said, “It is very important that the Minister, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment explain the inconsistencies observed and the reasons there is presently still no bilateral labour agreement to protect Nigerian migrant workers.”
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