Reps query N2.6bn deposit in CBN, FCMB

The House of Representatives Committee on Environment has queried the Ministry of Environment over allegations that it has lodged N2.6 billion at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a commercial bank, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) even with just a few months to the end of the year.

The committee said it was wrong for the money to be stashed away at a time numerous contractors were yet to be paid after doing over 60 percent of the jobs given to them. During an oversight function of the committee, a member, Hon. Pat Asadu (PDP-Enugu), said he was ready to waive his immunity and personally drag the ministry to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for corruption.

According to Asadu, there were complaints and written protests and allegations that money had to be paid by contractors before their letters of contract were signed. “The lack of transparency and level of corruption in this ministry is a shame.

The money you collect from contractors ensures that projects don’t get kicked-off. I am going to mention names that can be prosecuted. The companies that you select that are doing deals with you are talking to me,” he said.

He also alleged that of constituency jobs worth N40 million, N9.1 million is collected from some contractors even before the jobs given out commenced, adding that exposing, uprooting and prosecuting corruption in the ministry is the way forward. “I will bring contractors who paid money and they will state whom they paid to,” he threatened.

But the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Haruna Taiye, who represented the minister debunked the allegation against the ministry. According to him, any contractor that has such claims should bring it to the fore.

“I will like to meet one or two contractors who have such claims. I am ready to discipline anyone that is doing that,” he said. Taiye said of the N4.1 billion released so far to the ministry, “over N2.6 billion are awaiting payment and this we will collect tomorrow,” he said this was exclusive of the N 1billion in the Special Duties Ministry. But the committee members wanted to know if the N2.6 billion was an idle fund or money from over budgeting.

They queried the wisdom of lodging such a huge amount in the CBN and the FCMB a few weeks to the end of the year. The permanent secretary, however, shocked the committee members when he said in the next three weeks, the money in the account might disappear. The shocked lawmakers asked him how he intended to make such a huge amount of money disappear in such a short time