Ita Enang, the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), has disclosed
that President Muhammadu Buhari won’t spend the $1 billion from the nation’s
Excess Crude Oil Account, ECA, to fund the fight against insecurity unless he
receives approval from the National Assembly.
Governors of the 36 states had
last approved the withdrawal of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account for
the ongoing fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east.
The funds, according to the
governors, would be spent on the purchase of security equipment, procurement of
intelligence and logistics, among others.
The decision sparked nationwide
reactions with many public analysts expressing divergent opinions.
The Senate had before embarking
on its recess in December asked the President not to spend the money without
appropriation by the National Assembly.
Enang, a former senator, while
speaking on the controversy surrounding the money when he granted an interview
to Atlantic FM, Uyo, said the President would wait for the approval of the
national assembly.
“I will say that the 2018 budget
is still before the National Assembly. If we conclude the tallying to know what
the different armed services need, the army, the air force, and the navy, and
the police, and others, we will then present that to the National Assembly, and
we will only implement it subject to what they have approved.
“I want to clarify that none of
these monies will be used by Mr. President, by the military or released for any
purpose unless and until the money is appropriated by the National Assembly,”
he said.
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