Senate queries NDLEA over N1.5bn recruitment spending

The Senate through its Committee on Public Account has queried the National Drugs Law and Enforcement Agency over spending of N1.5 billion for the recruitment of 5,000 personnel in 2021.

The N1.5 billion was collected through Service Wide Votes by NDLEA.

At the investigation on expenditure on Service Wide Votes, the Committee Chairman, Senator Mathew Urhoghide, queried why the agency used such an amount on the recruitment of 5000 personnel.

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, also backed his colleague on how the agency could spend such an amount on the recruitment of 5000 personnel.

In his defense, the Director of Finance and Account, Abdullaahi Shitu, who represented the Chairman of the NDLEA claimed that part of the money was used to renovate the building at the training camp of the agency.

The lawmakers, however, rejected the explanation saying the Authority to Incure Expenditure submitted by the agency showed it was for recruitment not for the building in the training camp.

The Committee, therefore, ordered the NDLEA to bring the nominal roll of the 5000 personnel of the agency for betting by Thursday (tomorrow).

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