Lawmakers call for revealing expenditures made under USAID programmes

KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 23: Members of the Finance Committee under the House of Representatives have urged the government to disclose public expenditures under USAID-funded programs in Nepal.

Speaking at the Committee meeting today, lawmaker Ganga Karki emphasized the need for transparency, particularly in light of US President Donald Trump’s allegations of "fraud" in aid implementation.

Unofficial sources suggest that the funds were channeled through the Natural Resources and Finance Commission, which should take responsibility for addressing these concerns.

Lawmaker Gyanendra Bahadur Karki stressed the importance of understanding the context in which the US President made the fraud allegations. He also noted that the US-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact was signed during his tenure as Finance Minister and was subsequently ratified by Parliament. Additionally, he underscored the urgency of concluding pending bills under discussion in the Finance Committee.

Meanwhile, Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri argued that the US President’s statement should be debated in the House rather than in the Committee, as it is a broader parliamentary issue. He suggested that details of USAID expenditures be sought directly from the Ministry of Finance.

He also expressed concerns over delays in the commencement of Committee meetings, stating that discussions often deviate from the agenda, diminishing the Committee’s effectiveness.