By Peter Jatau
Abuja, Nigeria – June 6, 2025 – The House of Representatives Committee on Non-Utilization of Take-off Grants and Bailout Fund Interventions has grilled the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, over the ministry’s failure to utilize a ₦10 billion take-off grant allocated for 2025.
At a hearing chaired by Hon. Emeka Martins Chinedu, the committee demanded explanations on the ministry’s 2025 budget, procurement plans, and how it intends to deploy the ₦10 billion fund. The committee further requested documents including the ministry’s procurement plan, utilization strategy, adverts act, contract award letters, and procedural guidelines for the year under review.
Minister Maiha, in his defense, noted that the ministry—established less than a year ago in July 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—was still in its infancy and operating under severe logistical constraints. He cited lack of infrastructure, including office space and operational vehicles, as some of the early challenges, adding that the ministry currently operates with just one official car for the Permanent Secretary.
Despite the hurdles, the minister claimed the ministry had recorded progress in promoting food security, creating employment, and supporting vulnerable populations through training programs. He attributed the delay in utilizing the grant to procedural bottlenecks at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and structural gaps within the new ministry.
Hon. Chinedu stated that the committee would embark on oversight visits to various states to assess the ministry’s collaborations with state governors and implementation efforts.
The probe into the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development forms part of a broader investigation launched by the House of Representatives into the utilization of take-off grants, bailout funds, and other special interventions disbursed to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs), and institutions from 2015 to date.
According to Hon. Chinedu, the investigation is aimed at ensuring transparency, promoting accountability, and strengthening democratic institutions. He noted that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has been given a two-week deadline to submit detailed reports on fund disbursements.
Key agencies including the CBN, Federal Ministry of Health, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have also been summoned to provide relevant financial records. The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, is expected to appear before the committee on May 2, 2025, following a two-week extension granted to the bank for data collation.
The EFCC and Ministry of Health have requested additional time to compile comprehensive disbursement records, while the anti-graft agency is also seeking a formal breakdown of fund recipients and purposes for proper evaluation.
The investigation comes amid growing public concerns over financial mismanagement and the need for stronger oversight of public funds.
