The Senate has summoned the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,
Mr. Umana Okon Umana, over alleged plot to siphon N480 billion intervention
fund belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and domicile it
in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, without approval of the National Assembly.
The Minister is expected to appear before the Senate
Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Ayo
Akinyelure (PDP Ondo Central) upon receipt of petition being investigated by
the panel.
According to the petition, Umana has perfected plans to seek
Presidential approval to collect the money on the guise that it would be spent
on special projects in the Niger Delta region.
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly complex in Abuja Senator Akinyelure said: “There is N480B funds in a CBN account.
“Umana Umana is said to have perfected ways to present some
new projects to President Muhammadu Buhari to approve it for him to start using
the money to implement projects that is not appropriated by National Assembly.
“The power of a appropriation is conferred on the National
Assembly not on Mr. President. Mr. President, can only give approval for
service Wide Votes when the money appropriated by the National Assembly is not
adequate to implement some projects meant for a particular, state or region,”
he stressed.
Senator Akinyelure said several other allegations were
levelled against Umana; among which is his refusal to forward two annual
budgets of the NDDC (2021 and 2022) to the National Assembly for approval while
money are being spent by the commission on the orders of the minister therefore
taken the power of appropriations to himself.
He said: “The president has in his wisdom deemed it fit to
appropriate funds to the Niger Delta region but the minister has refused to
bring the appropriation before the National Assembly for us democratically
elected representatives of the people to give approval, they have refused to do
so. There are a lot of higher level mismanagement of resources due to develop
the Niger Delta region.
“Because we are entering an election year, this is the fear
of the Niger Delta people. We are entering an election year. We have less than
seven months for Mr. President to say bye bye to Nigeria and he has a legacy to
prove that he loves (the country).
“Why must the budget of 2021 and 2022 to be held by the
minister by collaborating with some people who do not love the people of the
Niger Delta region not to bring his budget for National Assembly when we are
ready to pass the budget of NDDC.
“The budget of other similar agencies brought by their
ministers and they have been approved by the National Assembly.”
The minister is also summoned to explain why he sacked over
100 NDDC staff therefore increasing the level of unemployment in the country.
“On his assumption of office as the Minister of Nigeria
Delta Affairs, he sacked over 100 staff to compound the problem of Nigerians.
We have received documentary evidence to back this allegation.
“He is there in the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry to pursue personal
agenda, instead of pursuing the agenda of the people of Niger Delta region,”
Senator Akinyelure further alleged.
Similarly, the minister was also accused of plotting to sack
the current NDDC Sole Administrator, Effiong Akwa who was appointed by President
Buhari and have him replaced by one of his cronies.
The petition before the Senate also accused Umana of
deliberate refusal to inaugurate the NDDC board.
Senator Akinyelure, therefore, disclosed that the minister
had been invited to appear before the committee on November 10 to provide
answers to all the allegations.
“We are giving you a fair hearing to come on the 10th of
November to come and defend these allegations and say no, you never make any
attempt to remove the appointee of Mr. President,” he said.
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