Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives, yesterday, queried the Mass Literacy, Adult and Special Education Commission for failing to utilise N220 million released for its use in the 2019 budget.
The House Committee on Diaspora, at a 2020 budget defence session with the agency, observed that the agency had utilised only N8 million, representing less than five per cent of the N220 million of funds, released.
Chairman of the committee, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe expressed the shock that while other Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were complaining of lack of funds, the Commission failed to utilise funds made available to it.
The lawmaker said she will draw attention of the House Committee on Basic Education, which is the principal agency oversighting the agency to the failure to utilise funds by the agency.
Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Abubakar Haladu, informed the committee that N220million, representing 23 per cent of its capital budget was released in September.
He said the government asked that 60 percent of the capital budget should be rolled over to the 2020 fiscal year.
“He said: “60 per cent of activity were brought to 2020 due to late releases. Budget release only took place last month, and only 23 per cent, which amounts to N220 million was disbursed to us. But because it was given to us late, we have prioritized those projects that are very germane to us, to implement before the end of the year.”