Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund, Kunle Adeshina, has said the Federal Government has suspended the use of the Ecological Funds to allow the committee to conduct a holistic assessment.
Oyedeji said after the completion of the assignment, they will advise FG on the subsequent disbursement of the funds to states appropriately.
Members of the committee, as part of the assessment, continued their assessment of erosion-prone areas in Lagos to confirm if all appropriated funds were judiciously applied.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Works and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, who disclosed this, said the team led by its Vice Chairman Oyedeji Oyeshina, also had Paul Nnamchi, Kafilat Ogbara, Ahmed Doro, Hon Hassan Abubakar 111, Yakubu Noma, Abdullahi Gwarzo, Patrick Umoh, Aminu Aliyu Gari, . Hassan Jakduwa, Aminu Ibrahim Kafu, and Danladi Aguye on board and were taken round by the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
He said part of the mandate of the committee is to ensure that all communities affected by erosion and other ecological issues are adequately catered for when the funds are allocated.
According to him, “I would like to emphasize that the Federal Government would not relent but will continue to collaborate with all the states in order to perform its responsibilities of maintaining a safe and sustainable environment for all.”
Oyeshina said the team was in Lagos just as it had visited other states in the geo-political zone to find a lasting solution to erosion challenges in the State.
He said: “This team has visited some states in the Northern part as well as Eastern parts and now in the Southwest, we recognise that erosion challenges are part of the effects of climate change and funds allocated to combat it must be used judiciously.”
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab while speaking, expressed optimism that residents of the erosion-prone areas in the state would have cause to enjoy the benefits of the funds.
