Senate Invites PTDF For Not Compensating NCAC Despite N2bn Provision

Senate Public Account Committee (SPAC) has summoned Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) over demolition of the ongoing construction site of National Council for Art and Culture (NCAC) in Kaduna and for not compensating NCAC despite the provision of N2 billion for that purpose.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Mathew Urhogbide said the invitation followed a query of the auditor-general of the federation in 2017 report.

The auditor-general had asked the NCAC to explain the N44 million earmarked for the construction of their office in Kaduna.

But, the director-general of the agency, Segun Runsewe, while responding to the query said that the money was judiciously spent by the agency for the construction of their office in Kaduna, but that the site was demolished by PTDF for the construction of their training school.

He explained that the Kaduna State government which gave the land to the agency gave the same to PTDF and arrangement was made for compensation after the demolition for the real owners of the land.

But it was gathered that PTDF declined to pay compensation to NCAC despite N2 billion earmarked for that purpose.

According to Runsewe, the federal government had given the PTDF approval to build their training institute in Kaduna and revoke their land in the area but added that the money earmarked for the compensation was not paid to them even after the demolition.

He said that the same PTDF came to their land in Abuja and took over the land adding that NCAC is the real owners of the land in Abuja before it was taken over from them.

After the explanation by the director general of the NCAC, the chairman of the committee, Urhogbide, resolved to invite the PTDF before the committee to explain their refusal to pay compensation despite the provision of N2 billion for the real owners of the land.

According to Urhogbide, PTDF should appear before the Senate Committee on July 19 and explain their refusal to pay the compensation.