By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA—INDICATIONS  emerged, yesterday, that members of the National Assembly were advocating the increment of their budgetary allocation in 2017 to N150 billion against the N115billion that was budgeted last year.

Meantime, the House of Representatives has summoned the Inspector-General of Police, IG, Mr Ibrahim Idris to unfailingly appear before its Committee on Police Affairs on Thursday next week over alleged diversion of N1.2 billion approved in the 2016 budget for the purchase of 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC, for the Police and another N6bn earmarked for the reconstruction of 102 police stations nationwide.

Although the budgetary allocation for the National Assembly for 2017 had not been made public, it was said to be between N115bn and N110bn, but Vanguard gathered that members were advocating N150bn, following the increment of the judiciary budget.

A highly placed member of the House, who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity,  contended that if the allocation for the National Assembly four years ago was N150 billion even when the Naira had more value, it was not proper to give the legislature less than that amount now when the purchasing power of the nation’s currency had dwindled.

However, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas was evasive when asked how much was budgeted for the National Assembly as he only said that the budget would be made known in the next two weeks when debate on the budget would commence.

Reps summon IG for alleged diversion of N7.2bn

Buhari presents N6.08trn 2016 budget to NASS (File)

The House also summoned the Inspector-General of Police to “unfailingly” appear before its Committee on Police on Thursday next week by 2p.m., to explain why some budgetary allocations made for the police were not utilised, instead the allocations were diverted to other projects that were not budgeted for by the National Assembly.

The House also condemned in the strongest terms the alleged failure or refusal of the IG to honour the invitations of the Committee on Police Affairs.

The summon was sequel to the motion by the member representing Ayamelum/Oyi federal constituency (APGA Anambra State), Mr Gabriel Onyenweife.

The House condemned the action of the IG for ignoring invitations to him to appear before its Committee to explain why he allegedly diverted the funds that were appropriated for other use without the approval of the National Assembly.

According to Onyenwife,  “that the sum of N1.2bn  was approved in the Appropriation Act of 2016 for the purchase of 10 numbers of Armoured Personnel Carriers by the Nigeria Police Force but the amount was diverted for the purchase of 64 Toyota Hiace Commuter vehicles without the approval of the National Assembly.

“The sum of N6bn  was appropriated in the same Act for rehabilitation and reconstruction of  102 Police Stations nationwide but the amount was also diverted for other uses without the approval of the National Assembly.”