House to Probe Disbursement, Utilisation of N100bn for Ranches

• Begins budget debate next week •Condemns non-release of funds to judiciary

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja
The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to investigate the disbursement and utilisation of the N100 billion released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the construction of mini ranches across the country.

This followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Sunday Karimi (Kogi PDP) who noted that a federal government Committee on Grazing Reserves, had in 2014, recommended the release of the N100 billion, as seed funding to all states of federation for the construction of the ranches.

He added that the National Economic Council approved the release of the money to the various states, for the construction of the ranches, in a bid to boost agricultural yields and put an end to the conflicts arising from the traditional method of grazing.

“The approval for the release of the money is a contravention of Section 80 (4) of the constitution, which provides that no monies shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the federation, except in a manner prescribed by the National Assembly,” Karimi said.

The lawmaker said despite the release of the money without parliamentary approval, no ranch has been constructed anywhere in the country, which has not reduced the conflict between farmers and herdsmen across the country.

In another development, the House would commence the debate of the general principles of the N7.3 trillion 2017 budget proposal, following the passage of the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

House spokesperson, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas briefing journalists yesterday, promised that the budgetary exercise would be a hitch-free.
Also, the House condemned the non-release of the total N70 billion 2016 budgetary allocation to the judiciary, describing it as a contravention of Section 81 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

The House said the non-release of funds to the judiciary constitutes a threat to its proper functioning, and to national peace and security.
The development has led to the non-payment of salaries of judges and other judicial workers.

Hon. Aminu Shehu Shagari (Sokoto APC) at plenary yesterday, said the National Judicial Council (NJC), which is responsible for the disbursement of funds approved for judiciary, had not received any allocations for November and December 2016.
“Contrary to the clear intendment of the drafters of our constitution, the federal executive picks and selects when to, and how much to release to the NJC, “ he said.

Shagari, who is Chairman, House Committee on Federal Judiciary, added that the N70 billion allocation, is charged on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation, and should be given priority, over and above any public expenditures.
“Judges by nature of their job cannot speak for themselves, so we have to speak for them,” he said.

Following a voice vote presided over by Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Sulaimon Lasun, the House urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the relevant government agencies to release all outstanding funds approved for the judiciary in the 2016 Appropriation Act.