Reps set to block revenue leakages through constitution review

The House of Representatives has said that it would take its time to incorporate and address the concerns expressed by Nigerians in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 constitution.

The Spokesman of the House, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, from Abia, stated this on Thursday while briefing journalists on legislative efforts of the House in the last two years.

“Be patient with us, our mind is made up to ensure the Constitution is reviewed in the 9th Assembly. The same way you believed us with the PIB, we are ready to pull it through. We urge Nigerians to believe that we have seen the gaps you have seen and we are determined to close those gaps,” Kalu said.

He noted that it is in a bid to address the lacunas observed by Nigerians that the House has resolved to give priority attention to the need to deliver a workable document reflective of the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.

“These would be on the front burner as we resume. In addition the National Assembly would be looking at the Electoral Act which you know was one of the major steps we took last year. We are committed that before the Christmas holidays the electoral bill would be sent to the president for assent.

“We cannot enter 2023 process without having this legal framework that reflects the needs of Nigerians.

“Another thing we would address as we resume is the issue of the budget. As we said before we are insisting on January to December and if you must achieve that, work has to start now. On 8th July the executive presented the MTEF to the House for our consideration, a three year plan from 2022 to 2024 from where policies of government would emanate from.

“From 16 of August to 26 this committee sat and looked at the various assumptions and the parameters used by the executive in formulating the MTEF. In the course of doing that, a lot of analysis took place and some findings were made. Some we’re in tandem with, some we believe look dusty and need clarification,” Kalu stated.

He added that members observed in the course of the interactive session that the MTEF relied on the forecast of the World Bank.

“Findings by the committee which would occupy front burners as we resume, one of which was data not coherent between the agencies like Customs, PPPRA, NNPC and all the rest of them especially on issues like, what is exactly the amount of crude oil produced per day, what is the level of our PMS consumption per day.

“These things are necessary because there is a determination by the House to close up areas of leakages of funds so that the Federal Government would have enough to take care of the welfare of citizens.

“It was also observed that some MDAs were not remitting sufficiently to the federation account. They were under remitting. There were others who were not remitting at all, because the establishment Act did not give them that permission to remit. As we resume we are going to be looking at issues like these.

“We need to amend some of those establishment Acts. Because of the impact of COVID, the government is looking for money from left right and center and if there are leakages encouraged by the Establishment Act, that piece of legislation would be looked into by this house as we resume for possible amendment,” the spokesperson submitted.