BY BEN AGANDE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE
ABUJA— MEMBERS of the House of Representatives, Thursday, directed the House  Committee on Civil Societies and Government Agencies  to critically examine all grants and assistance received from donor- agencies to ascertain  if donor-funds were judiciously utilised.

This was upon observation that several billions of dollars made available to non –governmental organisations, NGOs,  did not manifest on Nigerian citizenry as the monies were used for other frivolous matters.

A motion brought to the floor of the House by Mr Eseme Eyiboh on the need to monitor and harmonise  the receipts of aids  and grants from donor-agencies by NGOs and government agencies was exhaustively debated.

House Committee Chairman on CSOs and Donor-Agencies noted that “annually, huge sums of money are voted as grants and disbursement by donor-agencies  to tackle development challenges confronting Nigeria, but regrettably, the grants are not synchronised with government’s budgetary projection and development.”

He explained that “donor-agencies deal directly with ministers and state governments without consultation with the National Planning Commission, NPC, the co-ordinating organ of all donor and grant projects in Nigeria.”

Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, (representing Aniocha North and South, Delta State), who seconded the motion, in his contribution, said:  “Most of the beneficiaries of these aids when invited to give accounts of how the monies were spent, would start complaining and give all the excuses in this world. The presiding officer, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives , Mr Emeka Ihedioha, before putting it on voice vote, said: ”The motion is very clear to the point and  members should not have problems about it.”