Reps orders investigation of $5m US grant to L’Chad Commission

Reps orders investigation of $5m US grant to L’Chad Commission
By Dozie Emmanuel  /   December 18, 2015 
House of Representatives yesterday ordered for a comprehensive investigation into $5 million granted the Lake Chad Basin Commission, LCBC, by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for feasibility studies on how to divert rivers to Lake Chad.
 The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Abu representing Edati/Lavum/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State on the floor of the House.
 In his lead debate, Abu noted that the LCBC was established in 1964 with the responsibility of planning and regulating the use of water and other natural resources of conventional basin.
 The lawmaker informed the House that a huge sum of $5 million was released by the administration of President Obasanjo to the LCBC for feasibility studies on how to divert rivers from Central African Republic to Lake Chad which was drying up.
 He expresses worries that the report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, AGF in October 2015 did not take into account the report of the feasibility studies.
 While regretting that a transaction of that magnitude which gulped tax payers money was not given attention by government, he rolled out the LCBC funding formula which Nigeria had 40 percent; Niger 7 percent; Libya 18 percent; Chad 11 percent; Cameroun 20 percent and Central Africa Republic 4 percent.
 He, therefore, urged the House to probe this matter with a view to finding out who diverted the money for the project and report to the House.
 It was later referred to the House Committee on Lake Chad to investigate the matter and turn out a report within eight weeks.