Senate to Investigate N9bn IDP Funds

By Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The Senate would soon commence investigation into the perceived mismanagement of N9 billion allocated by the federal government for the general welfare of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Ad-hoc Committee Chairman on Humanitarian Crisis in the North- East, Senator Shehu Sani, has revealed.

 Sani, who is representing Kaduna Central senatorial district in the Senate, dropped this hint in Maiduguri at the weekend, while leading other members of the committee on a fact-finding visits to IDP camps in town.

 He warned that those found culpable of misappropriating the funds or diverting the relief materials meant for the IDP, would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

 The senator  commended the  state government, the Nigerian air force as well as domestic and international humamitarian agencies for their dedication for the general overhaul of the welfare of IDPs.

He, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the bad condition of the IDPs, saying despite such huge funds earmarked for feeding, medical services and other necessary needs for the inhabitants of the camps, there was nothing to write home about.

 Sani said his committee was not convinced that the said money was indeed spent for the purpose it was budgeted, insisting that “what we see on ground did not indeed justify the funds allocated”.

“Our visit to Maiduguri is to investigate an alleged large-scale misappropriation of funds meant for the welfare of victims of insurgency in the North-East. It is still a surprise to us that in spite of the billions of naira sent by the federal government to cater for the IDPs, things are still in terrible shape.”

“But from all indications, the camps have been turned to cash cows for some persons to amass wealth for themselves; If the money sent by the federal government has been given to the people on ground, things will have been different,” Sani said

The legislator revealed that the committee would organise  a public hearing with participants cutting across representatives of IDPs, government officials from the zone, domestic and international humamitarian organisationsas well as other stakeholders.

He noted that the aim of the event was targetted at getting more credible clues of the true picture of the welfare condition of the IDPs for necessary legislative action.