- Insist blackmail will not save culprits
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – The House of Representatives says it will not be blackmailed to abandon investigations into the alleged diversion of N22 billion National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) intervention funds.
This is even as the lawmakers warned that public officers, who soil their hands in criminal acts, no matter how highly or lowly placed, will not be shielded from justice.
The House, reacting to some reports in the media space, maintained; “We want to state unequivocally that no amount of blackmail or campaign of calumny will deter or prevent us from conducting this investigation.”
A statement signed by signed Hon E. J. Agbonayinman (APC, Edo State) and released in Abuja on Tuesday said; “Attention of the House of Representatives has been drawn to reports in some national dailies, on the ongoing investigation by the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness on the ‘Need to Investigate Alleged Violation of Public Trust in National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
“We also want to put it on record that as at today, there is no petition from any staff of NEMA to the Committee or the House of Representatives.”
According to the statement, “The issue of the suspended directors was mentioned by the Director General, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja himself during one of the Committee hearing, when he introduced a new Director of Finance and we sought to know what happened to the former director and he admitted to suspending them.
“The Committee also sought to know whether the suspension followed due process because these same directors are witnesses in the ongoing investigation.
“We have also observed with dismay, the ongoing campaign of calumny sponsored to pitch the House against the Presidency, especially His Excellency the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN.”
Explaining its position further, the House said; “The VP’s only involvement is because according to the law establishing NEMA, Section 2 Sub-Section 2(a) the Vice President is the Chairman of the Governing Council.
“We therefore want to know if the council, under the Vice President, authorised the suspension of the directors. Notwithstanding the provision of Section 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which empowers the National Assembly to invite any person to appear before it, or its Committee during Investigations.
“The Committee resolved that His Excellency the Vice President can send anybody to represent him considering his busy schedules. This Committee will leave no stone unturned until we unearth the truth.”
“We will also not shield any public officer who soil their hands no matter how highly or lowly placed. We want to state unequivocally that no amount of blackmail or campaign of calumny will deter or prevent us from conducting this investigation.”
The House, which insisted on accountability and transparency in the management of public funds, stated that; “For the records, this investigation is on the following releases from January to December, 2017;
- Release of N5.9 billion Food Intervention in the North East,
- Release of N3.1 billion Food Intervention in North East
- Release of N1.6 billion for Libya Returnees
- Release of N1.6 billion Flood Intervention for 16 States,
- Donation of 6,779 Metric Tons of Rice by Chinese Government.
- Payment of about N800 million demurrage on the donated rice by Chinese Government
- The un-accounted N10 billion release from Ecological Funds.”
