This is just as the lawmakers queried the accountant general of the federation (AGF), Idris Ahmed, over discrepancies in the dollar exchange rate in allowances paid to its personnel attached to foreign missions.
Faleke questioned why they should be paid at the rate of $425 instead of the official rate of $410.
Explanations by the accountant general that they were transfer costs by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) did not convince the Committee and it summoned the apex bank to explain.
Idris said the Ministry had taken up the additional responsibility of paying its foreign attachments which explained the jump from N3 billion budget for personnel cost in 2021 to N9 billion in 2022.
He said the responsibility before now was that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Faleke said the committee had spoken to the managing director of NSIA and the ministry of Finance about the illegality of the agency not submitting their budget to the National Assembly for approval but they are relying on its law which states that its board has the power to approve its budget.
According to him, we have spoken to the MD. We have advised him that it is purely against the constitution. We have spoken to the minister of Finance that it is purely against the constitution and the minister of Finance is never in support of that that the agency must present their budget. Unfortunately, the agency is relying on its law which says that its board shall approve its budget.
In this regard, Faleke ruled that there will be no disbursement of funds from any of our Federation accounts to the agency.