As Nigerians continue to raise eyebrows over the disbursement of the N500 billion intervention fund released by the Federal Government, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) joined by asking the National Assembly (NASS) to scrutinize the disbursement procedure of the money.
PDP said it call was to ensure that the money gets to the target beneficiaries.
In a statement on Saturday by its Spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan the main opposition party urged the legislature to examine the expenditure layout and put adequate clauses to eliminate diversion, ensure prudence as well as guarantee broad-based transparency in disbursements of the relief money.
The call it further said was predicated on apprehensions in the public space over allegations of fraudulent diversion of fund in the recent disbursement of N20,000 social palliatives, stressing that many Nigerians had rejected the figures put out by the Federal Government.
It therefore urged the National Assembly to ensure that the Federal government furnishes it with details of how the N500bn would be spent; what amount would be spent on interventions on individuals and families as well as a template that guarantees that the fund got to vulnerable Nigerians.
The PDP insists that such information should also include details of what each state of the federation got and the parameters for allocations.
Said the statement, “The Federal Government needs to place these details before the National Assembly. This money, which is to be mopped up from various special government accounts, belongs to Nigerians. As such, the National Assembly must ensure that it is fully utilised for their wellbeing” PDP stated.
The PDP urged the National Assembly to instill checks and balances by providing that the implementation must involve trusted and transparent eminent Nigerians from the private sector to further guarantee accountability and overall confidence of Nigerians in the scheme.
“This investigation has become imperative given allegations that the resort to cash disbursement directly by a minister instead of using cash disbursement facilities by the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN), is part of the design to manipulate the system, stifle accountability and pave way for the alleged syphoning of huge chunk of the funds” the party stated.
