BEVERLY HILLS, December 17, (THEWILL) – House of Representatives on Thursday unveiled plan to conduct 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 diversion of rivers to Lake Chad.
The resolution was passed following the adoption of the motion sponsored by Ahmed Abu, who noted that the report of the Auditor-General of the Federation in October 2015, did not take into account the report of the feasibility studies.
Debating the motion, Abu noted that 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 $5 million was released by the administration of Obasanjo to the LCBC for feasibility studies on how to divert rivers from Central African Republic to Lake Chad, which was drying up.
While regretting that a transaction of the magnitude that 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; Cameroon 20 percent and Central Africa Republic 4 percent.
He therefore urged the House to investigate this matter with a view to finding out who diverted the money for the project and report to the House.
While ruling, Speaker Yakubu Dogara mandated its Committee on Lake Chad to investigate the matter and report back to the House within eight weeks.
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