The planned deduction of the sum of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account to fund Military operations must first go through appropriation process before implementation.
The Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters, ( Senate) Ita Enang stated this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, on Monday.
He said the clarification was necessary in view of issues raised about Security Fund sourced from Excess Crude account to combat Security challenges in the country and the several misreadings attending the same issue.
Enang emphatically declared that ” the said sum has not and cannot be approved for spending by Mr. President”
“That in accordance with best practices, Mr. President, having received approval of sum from National Economic Council made up of all the Governors, now had a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, among others to collate the needs of each of the Services and the money available for appropriation”
“That Mr. President and the meeting having collated the need of each Service and the amount involved may now present same to the Federal Executive Council for detailed Consideration, or in exercise of Presidential powers may communicate same to the National Assembly for appropriation”
” That this may be done as usual upon Mr. President Consulting prior with the Leadership of the National Assembly through the whole body of principal officers or the presiding officers of each chambers only, before originating the communication to the National Assembly”
Enang also stated that the process of approving the money for use is inchoate and still undergoing Executive standard operating procedure before laying same before the National Assembly for appropriation.
BusinessDay gathered that the fund has not been withdrawn since the announcement of the controversial approval by President Muhammadu Buhari by the Minister of Defence Mansur Dan Ali as the processes is now being worked on is to fast-track the procedures so that it may be forwarded to the National Assembly.
BusinessDay also gathered that a supplementary request will be forwarded to the National Assembly for its approval after the 2018 Budget passage
This is just as Enang said Mr. President has not approved the sum for any procurement or application
“In any case, before any Sum is released from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, there must be, Appropriation Act , Vote of Charge, as well as Warrant which is legally predicated on appropriation authorization Sub-head under the Act”
He noted that the “Executive is conscious of the provisions of the Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution which states:
“No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the Federation, other than the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorized by an Act of the National Assembly.
“No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly
“We are also conscious of the provision of Sections 4 and 5 of the 2017 Appropriation Act (relating to Excess crude Account) and would not take any action in breach thereof” he said.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja.
