Crisis brews as reps probe utilisation of NHF, summons HOS, Account General, others
An ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives has commenced a probe into alleged non-remittance of the National Housing Funds (NHF).
The committee, chaired by Dachung Bagos (PDP, Plateau), has the mandate to investigate non-remittance and utilisation of the Fund from 2011 to date.
Mr Bagos, in a statement on Saturday, said the committee will commence the investigative hearing on Wednesday.
He said it has sent invitation letters to the heads of relevant agencies.
Those invited, according to the lawmaker, are the Head of Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan; the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein; the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Bolaji Owasanoye; and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Abdulkarim Chukkol.
Others are the managing director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN); the officer in charge of the department of estate development loan; the managing director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
The Executive Secretary of the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans board, the President/Chairman of the Council of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria and permanent secretaries of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Ministry of Works and Housing have also been invited.
About NHF
All Nigerians in employment, whether self-employed or in paid employment, are required by the NHF Act No. 3 of 1992 to contribute 2.5 per cent of their basic salary/income to the fund.
Zakaria Nyampa (PDP, Adamawa), who moved the motion for the investigation of the fund in July, had raised concerns about the utilisation of the NHF.
In his motion, Mr Nyampa said there “seems to be a gross default in the utilisation and remittance of the National Housing Fund which constitutes an offence under section 20 of the NHF Act.” PremTimes
