House Uncovers How N81.2bn was Spent on 21m Trees in 11 States

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday has uncovered documents on how National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) allegedly spent  the  sum of N81.2 billion on planting of 21 million trees across 11 frontline states.

The States include:: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

The lawmakers, who spoke during the investigative hearing into the ‘Utilisation of ecological funds released to National Great Green Wall from 2015 to date’,  who expressed concern on the conflicting financial reports submitted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), office of the Accountant General of the Federation (oAGF) and the agency, queried some of the expenditures carried out during the period under review.

Scrutinising the documents submitted to the Ad hoc Committee, the lawmakers said the sum of N697.372 million and additional sum of N500 million as well as N480.657 million were  spent on renovation of office accommodation; N11.28 billion on capital projects as well as claiming ownership of some projects carried out by lawmakers under Constituency project as its project and exclusion of three States in the tree planting exercise.

The committee consequently queried the rationale for warehousing multi-billion naira in the agency’s account for several years without returning such unutilised funds to government’s coffer in line with extant financial regulations.

While lamenting that the agency did not carry out any audit of its finance since inception, the committee frowned on the humongous amount spent on capacity building and other subheads that are alien to the mandates of the agency as encapsulated in the Act.

Worried by the inability of the agency to substantiate most of the tree planting projects carried out so far, the lawmakers, who spoke on their independent findings, argued that 80 per cent of trees planted by the agency did not survive.

The sum of N1 billion belonging to the agency was fraudulently laundered by some officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment in 2015 but was recovered by Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (ICPC).

The illicit transfers were carried out in collaboration with some financial banks and Bureau de Change, according to the investigators.

The CBN Director, Mr. Samuel Okudere in his presentation revealed that out of the seven accounts opened by the agency, only one was a mandated account.

However, the documents submitted by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, showed that total sum of N19.378 billion was released from the Derivation & Ecology Accounts to the agency from February 2019 to date and the agency also received the sum of N11.023 billion as capital expenditure through the AGF.

The AGF’s Director, Mrs. Irene Nwangwu, said  President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of N2.309 billion to the agency as  at September, 2020 Statutory five  per cent Ecology Fund.

NAGGW Managing Director, Dr. Yusuf Bukar, while responding to questions from the lawmakers said the Great Green Wall Act, which was signed by Mr. President in 2015, enables the agency to implement the Nigerian component of the programme as an initiative of the African Union being implemented in 11 Africa countries to coherently address the problem of land degradation, desertification, drought, climate change and livelihood of affected communities.

Bukar revealed that the agency planted one  million trees in Borno, Yobe and other states, the sum of N2.4 billion was released in the first phase, N7.3 billion released in the second phase, respectively.

“The Fund accruing into the agency’s account include: 15 per cent of the ecological fund for the Great Green Wall, contribution of fund from the natural resources development fund and gifts, loans and grants in aid from national bilateral, multilateral organisations and donors international and development agencies as well as individuals.”

While affirming that the agency gets funds from donor agencies, he couldn’t provide relevant documents on the amount received so far.

Responding to questions bothering on various infractions in the implementation of its activities, he, however, affirmed that the agency has deviated from its original mandate.

Speaking during the flag-off of the investigative hearing, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas explained that the Ad hoc Committee was mandated to investigate: all releases, all funds received from International organizations or donor agencies from 2015 to date; all budgetary and other federal allocations to the national agency for the Great Green Wall from 2015 to date; the utilisation of ecological funds released to the Great Green Wall by the international organisations; all contracts awarded to various contractors for the project from 2015 to date; and the total sum received through the policy and the level of compliance with the goals and objectives of the projects.

Hon. Abbas, who was represented by Hon. Dickson Tarkir ,explained that the objectives of this investigative hearing are: gather data to ensure the programme is optimally implemented, identify challenges affecting the execution of the project, to expose corruption, and guide the new administration in the continued implementation of this policy which is crucial to both the well-being and the security of our nation. “Furthermore, expenditures of public funds and ensure such expenditures are in line with this hearing fulfils the parliamentary responsibility to set down rules and of public interest and annual budgetary provisions, not forgetting donations from both domestic and international donor agencies,” he said.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Hon. Isma’ila Dabo, who observed that the persistence of these environmental challenges despite funds put into the programme from both the federal government and international partners, necessitated this investigation

to provide fair hearings to all parties and for all issues affecting a successful implementation of the project to be brought on the table.

“After this hearing, we shall embark on, on-the-spot assessment tour

to all the projects executed under this scheme to ascertain the claims.

The Ad hoc committee is resolute in undertaking this assignment in the

interest of all Nigerians. We are not here to scandalize any individual or organization but only to ensure that public funds are utilize for the purpose they are meant for. We will not shy away from pointing fingers where necessary, not out of personal animosity but simply in the national interest of our nation,” he said.