Notwithstanding the lamentations of huge infrastrucural deficit in all sectors of the economy, the Federal Ministry of Transportation, FMOT is reportedly holding N243b, probably for want of projects to execute.

Four committees of the House of Representatives have jointly expressed dissatisfaction over the implementation of the Federal Ministry of Transportation’s 2016 Budget.

They are committees on Aviation, Land Transport, Maritime Safety and Administration, Ports, Harbours and Waterways.

The committees, which visited the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on oversight function, threatened to give zero allocation to it in this year’s budget.

Mr. Mohammed Bago, the Chairman, Committee on Maritime Safety and Administration, said the ministry presented different documents to the committees, which did not contain facts.

He said the ministry had received N243bn and had yet to spend it, adding that if the money was not used before the end of the month, it would receive zero allocation in 2017.

“The different positions made to the committee of the house on both land transport, ports and harbour, maritime safety and administration as well as aviation has varied.

“We have received three different documents till date and all of them are not consistent and that is why we have asked for a new document to ascertain the value of what this project is all about.

“We are not going to appropriate on this budget until we have the fact and figure and if we do not have the facts and figure, the ministry of transport will get zero allocation.

“They have received N243bn and they have not spent it when the ministry of health needs money because people are dying of meningitis, Nigerian soldiers are dying in Sambisa, no money to fund the soldiers.

“The ministry of transportation is sitting on billions of Nigerians’ naira released to it and is not utilised.’’

Dr. Patrick Asadu, Chairman of the Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways, said members were at the ministry to ensure that money given to it was well spent.

He said the committee was not satisfied with the document presented to it, adding that the money was not well spent.