Fuel subsidy: Reps query N222.1bn extra-budgetary spending

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on the Non-Implementation of the 2015 Capital Budget has questioned the executive spending of N222.1bn on fuel subsidies from January 2015 to July, 2015.

During a public hearing in Abuja on Tuesday, Chairman of the committee, Aliyu Pategi (APC Kwara), expressed the committee’s position.

He said:

“Appropriation is an Act, and we insist on its implementation. We want to know where there are challenges but to spend monies such as the N222.1bn without recourse to the parliament is not acceptable to us,” the lawmaker said.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel-Nwaobia, told the committee members that the Federal Government spent N222.1bn on fuel subsidy between January and July, 2015. She said the money wasnt added n the 2015 Appropriation Act nor was it approved by the National Assembly.

 

Daniel-Nwaobia, who was represented by the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Aliyu Gusau, said he did not have sufficient information on the expenditures.