The House of Representatives committee Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), yesterday queried the proposed N45 billion budgetary allocation to the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative.
The committee also called for a complete scrutiny of the proposal, as it alleges inappropriate allocation of funds.
Chairman of the House committee, Hon. Sani Zoro who raised suspicion on the budget of the directed that the budget defence be postponed.
The committee particularly raised concerns on the allocation of N8.4 billion for procurement of military equipment, accusing accusing the presidential committee an attempt to take over functions under the core mandate of the security agencies.
The Zoro-led committee also noted that information available to the committee, through the Ministry of Budget and National Planning was that about N800 million was already embedded in the budget of relevant MDAs for various interventions in the North East, insisting that the N8.4 billion be re-allocated to areas that are of direct benefits to the IDPs.
According to Zoro, there were ambiguous provisions in the budget.
“I thought you would have avoided controversies after the grass-cutting business. Here you have provision to use N60 million for shrubs and trees clearing again. Please, do not travel that road again”, the lawmaker said.
The representatives directed the Presidential Committee to itemize the budget allocations with comprehensive details.
The committee specifically questioned the allocation of N40 million each to five different sub committees for media and publicity, N150 million for early warning systems and conflict sensitivity advocacy and N165 million for conflict management and community relations training.
Zoro expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed budget said; “if you want to fund the military, the targeted persons would be shortchanged. What they need is food, health, education, and so on.
He however directed the Presidential Committee chairman to furnish the committee with details of its original mandate, for his committee to “be properly guided”.