Lawmakers Call for Disclosure of USAID Expenditures

Members of the Finance Committee under the House of Representatives have urged the government to disclose expenditures made under USAID-funded programmes in Nepal.

Speaking at the committee meeting on Sunday, lawmaker Ganga Karki stressed the need to reveal spending details, particularly in light of allegations of "fraud" in aid implementation raised by former US President Donald Trump.

It has been learned through unofficial sources that funds were channeled through the Natural Resources and Finance Commission. Lawmakers emphasized that the commission should address concerns regarding the expenditure.

Gyanendra Bahadur Karki called for a clearer understanding of the context in which the former US President cited "fraud." He also noted that the US-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact was signed during his tenure as Finance Minister and was later ratified by Parliament. Additionally, he emphasized the need to finalize bills currently under discussion in the Finance Committee.

Meanwhile, Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri argued that discussions on the former US President’s statement should take place in Parliament rather than in the committee, as it falls under a broader parliamentary issue.

He suggested that expenditure details related to USAID programmes could be obtained from the Ministry of Finance. He also pointed out that committee meetings often start late and deviate from the agenda, reducing their effectiveness. -- RSS