Rep alleges diversion of excess crude funds
By Hammed M. Bello
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Harmia Yarima, has alleged that the over N100 billion withdrawn by the federal government from the excess crude fund was diverted and called for an independent inquiry to expose the culprits.
Hon Yerima also suggested that Nigeria’s economy and finance have been viciously hijacked by western powers who, along with local collaborators, target large scale impoverishment of Nigerians to reduce them to the level of slaves.
Yerima was reacting in an interview with Daily Trust to the 2005 budget presented by president Obasanjo to a joint session of the National Assembly recently.
He said that the finance ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria should be queried to explain the whereabouts of over N100 billion said to have been withdrawn to service the 2004 budget deficit because no such deficit existed.
He said only about 20 percent of the budget was implemented and as such, there was no reason for the deficit said to have been recorded and suggested that the money was withdrawn for a different purpose which must be investigated.
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) member from Borno State also condemned the 2005 budget presented by the president saying it is a bundle of confusion as the president did not address serious problems confronting the country like unemployment and poverty.
He said also that the 2005 budget, like other fiscal and economic policies of the Obasanjo administration, were handouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and alleged that four individuals and institutions are destroying the country, whom he said include “the president himself, the minister of finance who is representing the IMF and World Bank, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Due Process Unit in the presidency.”
He also alleged that “these people are manipulating this country to the whims and caprices of IMF and World Bank thereby negating the interest of Nigerians whose condition of living has continued to deteriorate.
He said the legislature could not move against the president over non implementation of the budge because its leadership is not serious. “In an ideal situation, this is an impeachable offence because it is a breach of constitution but the nature and character of the National Assembly leadership makes it incapacitated.”
Added to this, the said, most PDP members, especially in the House of Representatives are not standing out in their assignment in the House thus giving in to the dictates of the party chairman contrary to the guide of their conscience and the interest of Nigerians whom they serve.
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