Reps query UBEC over pre-budgetary spending

THE House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education yesterday queried the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, over pre-budgetary spending which violated the Fiscal Responsibility Act,
The Committee on Universal Basic Education, led by Zakari Mohammed, APC, Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency, issued the query during an interactive session with the leadership of the commission to appraise the 2016 budget performance, in line with its oversight responsibilities.
The Director of Finance win the commission, Mohammed Sambo, while responding to a question by a member of the committee, gave the indication that the commission had received almost 92% of the 2016 budget allocation with 100% utilisation.
Sambo told the lawmakers that the commission started accessing funds for recurrent and other expenditures since March, 2016 from a budget that became operational in May.
He said: “We get our funding based on what was appropriated. If the appropriation is N77billion, we get N6billion every month and in 1st quarter, we would have got N18billion.’’
He explained that the commission started accessing funds as early as March, 2016 even before the budget was passed.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Mr. Habib Bobboi, however, tried to clear himself of any complicity, saying he came to UBEC on August 4and met N300million in-balance according to his handover note.