2023: Reps. Committee investigating ecological funds shuts out journalists

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the utilization of ecological funds released to the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW), on Tuesday barred journalists from covering its sitting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee, chaired by Rep. Ismaila Dabo on Aug. 31, accused the agency of spending N81.2 billion to plant 21 million trees in 11 states.

The Director General, NAGGW, Dr Yusuf Bukar was expected to respond to the claim by the committee during Tuesday’s sitting.

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However, journalists who turned up to cover the hearing were told to move out of the hall by the Clerk of the committee, Mr Edem Bassey.

Bassey said the chairman of the committee had directed that the investigative hearing was not for media coverage.

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“The first sitting you covered, I wrote a letter to you, and to the best of my knowledge, this Committee did not write a letter asking for another coverage. So that addresses the issue.

“You know how we work in this place, I am supposed to either communicate to you or the chairman, that has not been done and why it is not done, I was not briefed to do so,” he added.

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According to him, the committee has the right to regulate its sitting just as the House does, adding that for now, “we do not need media coverage.” (NAN)