Members of the Finance Committee under the House of Representatives have demanded that the government make public expenditures under the USAID programs in Nepal and launch a free, fair and impartial investigation into possible corruption, including the misuse of funds during the execution of the programs. 

They pointed out that such a move was necessary as most of the USAID fund had been spent, bypassing the government agencies. 

Through an unofficial channel, it has been learnt that the fund had been spent through the Natural Resources and Finance Commission and the commission should address this concern. 

Speaking at the committee meeting on Sunday, lawmaker Ganga Karki urged the government to disclose the details of expenditures through USAID programs, in view of US President Donald Trump’s accusations that the agency had committed ‘fraud’ in Nepal. 

Lawmaker Gyanendra Bahadur Karki called for “understanding the context of the allegation” coming from the US president. 

He added that the Nepal-US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact was signed during his term as Finance Minister and it was endorsed by the Parliament. Karki also stressed the need to conclude the bills that are under discussion in the Finance Committee.     

Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri called for discussions on the US president’s fraud charges in the full House—and not in the committee alone—by getting details of the expenditures under the USAID from the Ministry of Finance. He noted that the committee meeting exceeds the given timeframe and it is generally focused on discussions on topics that do not constitute its core agendas, making it less effective.