Senate summons Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed over N206bn ‘inserted’ in Humanitarian Ministry’s Budget

The Senate Committee on Special Duties has summoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, to appear before members and explain the purpose of including N206 billion in the 2023 budget for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The committee issued the summons when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq came to defend her ministry’s 2023 budget proposal on Monday.

During the interaction, the humanitarian minister could not furnish the committee with the exact details of what the sum of N206 billion in her budget is intended for.

She explained that the fund is ten times the amount requested for projects for the North East Development Commission and National Social Safety Net in its 2022 budget which was not released.