The Federal House of Representatives has unearthed an illegal transfer of about N400 billion involving the Ecological Fund office under the Presidency, leading to calls for the sack of Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia.
According to an interim report of the House Committee on Environment chaired by Hon. Uche Ekwunife, total inflow into the Ecological Fund account between January 2003 and February 2012 — after the deduction of N20,123,084,858.03 for debt servicing — amounted to the sum of N322,165,322,070.86,.
“This one per cent used by the Accountant General of the Federation for the computation of the inflows into the Ecological Fund from January 2004 to June 2012 was contrary to the two per cent specified in the Act,” stated a part of the report.
“This, therefore, resulted in the understatement of the figure accrued to the tune of N302, 358,388,317.81.”
According to another section of the report, “the submissions under review also indicated that a total loan of N60.75bn was taken from the Ecological Fund Account by both the Federal and State Governments for purposes not related to Ecological problems.”
An interaction between members of the committee and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia, had been slated for Tuesday but it was snubbed by the two officials, much to the chagrin of the committee.
The lawmakers consequently called for the sack of the Minister.
