Members of the House of Representatives has insisted on transparency in the disbursement of cash grants to poor and vulnerable Nigerians through the Social Investment Programme.
Their position was in reaction to an earlier report by the Special Adviser to President Muhamadu Buhari on Social Investments, Maryam Uwais, who alleged that the lawmakers were critical on how funds are being distributed because their interests were not captured.
House’s Spokesman, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in a statement, said the lawmakers only insisted on transparency in the disbursements of funds to vulnerable Nigerians, stressing that there was no intention to ‘’compromise the NSR and input the names of undeserving Nigerians as beneficiaries of the programmes.”
“We are aware that Madam Uwais has on certain occasions cited Section 14 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as providing an exemption by which the FG can refuse to reveal details of the NSIPs to the National Assembly’’.
“This suggests a deliberate attempt by Madam Uwais to conceal information pertaining to the financial activities of NSIP from the elected representatives of Nigerians as we especially recall that she blatantly ignored a letter of enquiry from the House Committee on Public Accounts addressed to her in her capacity as Special Assistant to the President on NSIP dated August 6, 2019 with reference number HR/SCO5/52/XX/400 requesting a brief of the activities (including income and expenditure profile) of her office from the year 2014 to 2018’’.
“While stating categorically that the operations of the NSIP do not fall under the exemptions contemplated in Section 14 of the FOI Act, it is instructive to note that Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution vests exclusive powers of oversight on the legislative arm of government which also applies to any and all forms of government intervention programs, including the NSIP which is a disbursement of the nation’s funds appropriated by the National Assembly in the first place’’.
“The powers of the National Assembly to investigate or request any information from the executive are vested by the Constitution and are not subject to the stipulation of the FOI Act.
“We must remember that the doctrine of checks and balances is an essential element of our constitutional democracy and once it is discarded our democracy becomes wobbly.
“Therefore, the 9th House of Representatives frowns at any fake news or publication that seeks to cast aspersions on its intentions and commitment to the people of Nigeria in its exercise of constitutional duties.
“As the People’s Parliament and in the spirit and letter of Sections 14, 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (the Constitution), our priority remains to employ all legislative interventions to ensure the welfare of Nigerians in the face of the COVID-19 crisis and the economic hardship it has wrought on the poor and vulnerable among,” he said.
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