Reps Questions Onu Over Budget Implementation, Threatens Arrest Of Peterside

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, was yesterday questioned over the implementation of N3.408 billion allocated to his ministry in the 2017 budget by the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology.

Chairman of the House committee, Beni Lar said the explanation was necessary in view of the low achievements recorded in the sector.

BigPen Online reports that Onu responded that despite N3.408 billion was appropriated to the ministry in 2017, only N811.281 million, representing 23.8 per cent, was released to the ministry in August this year.

He said the amount was “inadequate to fund the activities of the ministry, at least, when compared with the N4.025 billion of 2016 that was appropriated while N1.791 billion was released.”

He added that most of the ministry’s agencies and centres have not received more than 25 per cent capital budget appropriation of 2017 which have hindered them from actualizing their plans.

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In the area of security, the minister said the ministry was working on some technologies for crime control and public security using biometrics.

Meanwhile, the House Adhoc Committee probing the status of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) also on Friday threaten to issue an arrest warrant on the Managing Director of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, for consistently failing to appear before them.

The Chairman of the Adhoc committee, Abubakar Nuhu Danburam (APC, Kano), who disclosed this at the committee’s meeting in Abuja, said members were disappointed that the NIMASA DG was always treating the invitation of the committee with levity.

“Since he finds it comfortable not to respect our invitation and appear before us, we will approach the House to obtain an arrest warrant for him,” Danburam said.

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