Reps moves to investigate NEMA over N2.4billion contract

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The House of Representatives has started investigating an alleged N2.4 billion contract awarded to Ulam Nigeria limited, against the agency’s approval limit as stated in section 16 (1) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Act.

The House further alleged that the Director General of NEMA awarded the contract to companies he has a personal stake in, violating his approval limits by awarding contracts to a single firm without due process.

Also, the agency has received more than N10 billion from 20% of the National Ecological Fund in the last one year, N5 billion for hunger intervention in the northeast, about N2 billion for flood disasters across the country.

The issue was presented by Mr. Benjamin Wayo (APC, Benue) under matters of urgent importance and, according to him, “these funds are usually siphoned by officials of the agency through [the] dubious award of contracts without delivering relief items to the victims.”

He also voiced his worry over the commercial use of the agency’s air ambulance and its penchant for not remitting the proceeds from this to the government.

Supporting the motion, Mr. Tope Danladi (APC, Lagos) said suffering and hunger frequently ravage refugee camps in the country and despite the billions of Naira given to NEMA, there is nothing to show for it.

Mr. Obinna Chidoka (Anambra, PDP), who spoke in support of the motion, said there is a need for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the National Emergency Management Agency to sit together and list out the things needed in the refugee camps.

He also urged the House to immediately confront the rising number of refugee camps in the country.

The matter was passed and referred to the Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to investigate and report back within six weeks.

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