N33bn SDGs budget controversy: NASS clears Orelope-Adefulire

Per Second NewsJune 6, 20201 Mins read933

The House of Representatives Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has absolved Mrs Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) of any financial impropriety.

The clarification came against the backdrop of allegations that her office was wrongly appropriated N33 billion in the 2020 budget already assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“It is untrue that the office of the OSSAP-SDGs was appropriated N33 billion in the 2020 budget,” the Chairman of the House Committee on SDGs, Mr Rotimi Agunsoye, said.

He said the committee’s findings revealed that the prevalence of Covid-19 had distorted the implementation of the Appropriation Act which has been reviewed.

“In setting the records straight, The House Committee on SDGs hereby state that correspondence was sent to the Finance Ministry in respect the subject matter upon which clarification was sought from the SDGs office without any indictment on the person or the office of the SSA-SDGs, indicating misappropriation of the 2020 budgetary allocation of her office.“The legislature is determined to ensure adequate oversight of all appropriated for the implementation of SDGs programmes in all ministries and agencies of government as well capture, as soon as we get adequate correspondence from the House appropriation committee to further ascertain fund release in order to guide our oversight activities.

“Hence, the recent official correspondence from both Senate and House SDGs committees to the finance ministry to release the budget provisions of OSSAP-SDGs so as to enable our committee to oversight accordingly,”Agunsoye said in a statement.

“This clarification became imperative to avoid any misrepresentation of the earlier correspondence between the National Assembly Committees on SDGs and Finance Ministry as any financial indictment on the person and office of the OSSAP-SDGs,” the lawmaker stressed.

Persecondnews recalls that Buhari had in 2016 appointed Her Excellency, Mrs Orelope-Adefulire, Lagos State former Deputy Governor.

She had elevated the office through execution of critical projects across the country.