ABUJA-Reps yesterday directed the Culture and Tourism Ministry to refund the sum of N1.4 billion excess expenditure from the N3.4 billion approvals and also resolved to look at all the financial engagements concerning the Abuja carnival where it approved N350 million for the festival.
Chairman of the House Committee on Culture and Tourism, Kanayo G’B. Ogwaka gave the indication at a 2008 budget performance roundtable with officials of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism led by Tokumbo Kayode, minister in charge.
Ogwaka said at the interactive meeting that the sum of N1.4 billion out of the N3.4 billion earlier appropriated in the 2008 budget be returned to government treasury following the adjustments in the amended 2008 budget.
The ministry had a previous budget of N3.4b following which only N2billion was however approved during the recent amendment .
The development, the chairman argued, necescitated the request to return the excess to government coffers.
Also at yesterday’s meeting the committee said it was investigating all financial transactions entered into by the relevant agencies and departments in the ministry involving the Abuja carnival.
Tourism and Culture Chairman Ogwaka said the financial audit would enable the Parliament to know how the N350 million appropriated for the event was utilized.
He said the exercise had also become necessary since the members of Parliament were not involved in the organization of the carnival, as such needed to know what was done.
Ogwaka called for co-operation from the bureaucrats, adding that he would overhaul all the processes and agencies within the ministry if government must attract more foreign exchange through tourism.
He said their resolve was to make tourism an alternative source of revenue to government besides oil,
Meanwhile, the Minister, Tokunbo Kayode had pledged to support the committee, saying that they all had a common agenda to make Nigeria a tourist destination.
“We will co-operate with your committee.”
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