Reps query National Population Commission over N1.9bn ‘one-day’ summit

By Ogaga Ariemu

A committee of the House of Representatives has queried the N1.2 billion allegedly spent on a one-day summit by the National Population Commission (NPC).

The committee issued the query when the NPC appeared before the lawmakers to defend its 2023 budget.

The House Committee on Population directed the commission to provide the details of the money spend on the stakeholders summit for the 2023 census.

A member of the Committee, Chudy Momoh had accused the commission of spending N1.2 billion on the summit held at the presidential villa in August.

“They should also provide the expenditure pattern of the N5.2 billion spent on the mock census, detailing it state by state. So we can know the details and how much was expended at the state level,” he said.

The lawmaker also queried the spending on N5.2 billion for the census trial across the country.

However, the Director of Census, Arinola Olanipekun, clarified that the money was N1.9 billion, and it was spent on hosting summits in the 36 states of the federation.

The committee therefore resolved that the commission must address the discrepancies and present details of the expenses