The House of Representatives Committee Ad hoc investigating the utilisation of ecological funds released to National Great Green Wall from 2015 to date on Tuesday barred journalists from covering the hearing.
The committee had on Aug 31 accused the agency of spending N81. 2 billion to plant 21 million trees in 11 states.
The States are: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
This development, was coming barely a week after PREMIUM TIMES investigation had exposed the lawmakers for the wanton corruption they are perpetrating in the guise of investigative hearings.
The report said in the past couple of weeks, a committee of the House charged with investigating job racketeering in government parastatals has been engaging in extortion of money from heads of federal ministries, departments and agencies, including those of tertiary institutions across the country.
The Clerk of the ad hoc committee, Mr. Edem Bassey said the chairman of the committee, Hon. Dabo Haruna, directed that the investigative hearing was not for media coverage.
His words: “The first sitting you covered, I wrote a letter to you, and to the best of my knowledge this Committee did not write 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.
However, when he was told that the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas had during his address assured Nigerians that the 10th House would ensure an open parliament, Bassey said: “I am glad you have mentioned the Speaker’s agenda.”
He said the committee has the right to regulate its sitting just as the House does, adding that for now, “we do not need media coverage. If there is a need, we can also do.”
“Already, my chairman had told me we do not want the media and you know how this place is, it will look somehow.”
Bassey added that the Speaker has no legislative agenda yet.
He stated: “As at today, the speaker does not even have a legislative agenda for the 10th Assembly. A committee was set up that report is yet to be considered. So there is no official agenda for the 10th Assembly.”