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Buhari Has Not Approved Controversial $1 Billion Security Fund, Presidential Aide, Enang Clarifies

Senator Ita Enang

Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly, Senator Ita Enang has said that the President has no approved for release, the controversial one billion Dollar security fund.
Enang told news men in Abuja today, Monday that the Security Fund which was sourced from Excess Crude account to combat Security challenges in the country and the several misreadings attending same, “has not and cannot be approved for spending by Mr. President.”
He said that in accordance with best practices, the President, having received approval of sum from National Economic Council made up of all the Governors, had a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, among others to collate the need of each of the Services and the money available for appropriation
According to him, having collated the need of each Service and the amount involved, the President would present it to the Federal Executive Council for detailed Consideration, or in exercise of Presidential powers would communicate same to the National Assembly for appropriation.
“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
“As at now, 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.
“The processes now being worked on is to fast-track this procedures so that it may be forwarded to the National Assembly while it is still considering the 2018 Appropriation Bill (Budget) for incorporation as Mr. President’s supplementary request under the 2018 Budget, or if completed, after the 2018 Budget, it may be forwarded as supplementary Appropriation Bill
“Succinctly stated, Mr. President has not approved the sum for any release of this procurement or application howsoever.”
Senator Enang said that before any Sum is released from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, there must be Appropriation Act, Vote of Charge and Warrant which is legally predicated on appropriation authorization Sub-head under the Act.
He said that the Executive is conscious of the  provisions of the Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution which states:
“(3) 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.
“Just as the Legislature in processing legislation starts with conceptualizing, drafting, scrutiny of the draft, gazzetting, First reading, 2nd reading, committal to appropriate committee, public hearing, consideration of the Report by Committee of the whole or supply, passage and 3rd reading in plenary, so also does the Executive have and maintain standard operating procedure, or due process or due diligence in all actions. And at this stage, the matter is ongoing these processes.
“Therefore, the matter of the Security fund is still undergoing standard processes for laying before the National Assembly for appropriation.”