The Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq said the ₦206billion inserted into its 2023 Budget by the Ministry of Finance did not come from her desk.
Ms. Farouq who was defending her ministry’s budget before the Senate Committee on Special Duties submitted that she was surprised to see a budget made in 2022 reappear 10 times higher in the 2023 Budget.
“Yes we made a request for funds for the projects in 2022 which were not released and Part of it is for the NEDC,” Ms. Farouq
“The money was not released and now we have seen it recurring by almost 10 folds and we are also going to clarify from the ministry of finance to know why this increase despite the fact that the previous year, the money was not even released for the projects.
“This is all I can say for this. I cannot really give full details of how this amount is going to be utilised because it is something that was negotiated between the ministry of finance and world bank.”
Chairman of the committee, Senator Yusuf Yusuf in response, move a motion to summon Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed to come and give explanation about the N206 billion inserted in the Ministry’s budget.
Senator Yusuf said, ” I want to move a motion that the minister of finance should appear before this committee to furnish this committee with details of what they intend to do with N206 billion in the 2023 budget.
“Now that the minister has said that she is not in charge of negotiation with the World Bank and of course she is not, the minister of finance must appear before us and explain what the huge amount is meant for.”
