It was a shocking moment for members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 21 following the discovery that the presidency, through the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI), had budgeted N60 million to cut grass in communities destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in 2017.
A committee of the House of Representatives made the discovery during budget defence
The Senate recently indicted the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, over an alleged spending of N200 million for the cutting of grass in camps of internally displaced persons.
The Punch reports that the N60 million was found in the 2017 budget of PCNI and includes contracts to cut shrubs, grasses and trees along the Maiduguri-Mama road.
The PCNI had appeared before the House committee on internally displaced persons to defend its N45 billion budget on humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced villagers when the discovery was made.
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Sani Zoro, chairman of the House committee, said: “You can’t travel this same way (awarding contracts on grasses) again; it is not acceptable.
“Why can’t you assign this duty to the military to do it for you? They can use their personnel to clear the grasses and you can drop this idea of awarding contracts with N60m.”
The House committee also lamented that most of the provisions in the N45 billion budget were meant for security and procurement of equipment for military services instead of shelter, food, hospitals and schools for Boko Haram victims.
Zoro told the committee: “Your duty, from what we understand, is to provide succour for the displaced persons. These people are traumatised and they need urgent basic amenities as they return home.
“Rehabilitation has to do with their survival as human beings first.
“Maybe, you must first give us the mandate of the PCNI. You have N184 million for screening programme for humanitarian activities. What does that mean?
“There is N150 million on advocacy and early warning system and N165 million for conflict management.
“You are going to deliver security equipment for N200 million. What type of security equipment? Then another N2.5 billion for security outfits.
“Are you telling us that part of your role is to fund the operations of the military in the North-East? The military have their own budget already.
“Why are you not talking about food, shelter, medical care and schools for these IDPs?”
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In his reaction, the vice-chairman of the PCNI, Mr Tijjani Tumsah, however said the budget was planned after due consultations with the military.
He also explained that leaving out the security aspect of the budget would endanger the goal of the PCNI.
“Security remains a major issue in rehabilitation. There are mines everywhere. The military will have to go in there to remove them,” he told the House committee
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