Reps probe NEMA over N19.4bn ‘fraud’

Abuja

House of Representatives has mandated its committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to investigate the alleged fraudulent application of about N19.4 billion relief funds by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
This followed members’ adoption of a motion sponsored under matters of urgent public importance yesterday, by Hon. Benjamin Wayo who said the funds were reportedly allocated for hunger intervention in the North-east and food intervention across the country, but were illegally siphoned by officials of the agency through dubious award of contracts.
The lawmaker said NEMA had received more than N10 billion from the 20 per cent National Ecological Fund in the last one year, N5 billion for hunger intervention in the North-east, about N2 billion for food intervention across the country and the N2.4 billion the Director-General of the agency, Mustapha Maihaja, allegedly awarded to companies he has interest in.
He accused NEMA of neglecting its core mandate of coordinating the management of disasters across the country and assisting victims of such disasters, as several cases of disasters across the country had not been given the necessary attention.
“The hunger in IDPs camps in the North-east, the farmers, herdsmen conflicts, fire disaster victims and many other such cases across the country has been neglected. The agency has received more than N10 billion from the 20% National Ecological Fund in the last one year, N5 billion for hunger intervention in the North-east, about N2 billion for food intervention across the country.
“One company, called Olam Nigeria Limited, got a contract of N2.4 billion, which is against the agency’s approval limit as stated in Section 16 sub-section 1 of the NEMA Act. It should be made clear that the section pegs the approval limit at just N30 million,” he said.
The committee has been directed to report its findings within six weeks.

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