By Adeleye Kunle
The House of Representatives Committee on Finance slammed the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation yesterday for failing to keep proper financial records of government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, or MDAs.
The committee made the observation during an ongoing interactive session with MDAs on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2023-2025.
The Acting Corp Marshal of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, Dauda Biu, told the Finance Committee that the Federal Roads Safety Corps remitted over N2 billion to the Federations Account in 2021, but noted that the records provided by the Accountant General to the committee stated about N1.6 billion.
As a result, the committee chairman asked Mohammed Salleh, Director, Federation Account in the AGF’s office, to confirm the remittance by the Federal Road Safety Corps, but the Director pleaded for more time.
The committee members were enraged by the response, with Falake expressing disappointment with the office.
“To be honest, we are not happy with the accountant general’s office at all,” he said. We thought we could rely on your data to do our job.
“The agencies have arrived and are prepared to make their presentations. I don’t have any comparable data. You don’t have the records, and you’re telling me that receipts are distributed to offices all over the country. It should be done automatically.
“Please let us know if you have any problems or questions.” We are here to assist you and ourselves as Nigerians. You heard the Minister of Finance speak about the N11.3 trillion deficit. So, if we can get revenue from the agencies, the deficit will be reduced.
“You should take the money automatically, online, because we have so many agencies.” We are unable to continue because the Accountant General is unable to provide us with requirements.”
Falake directed the Accountant General to provide the committee with information on all agency remittances by today.
“We are not going to refer any agency for account reconciliation,” he stated. You gave them receipts, which could have been forged anyway. In this day and age, how can you still write treasury receipts by hand? It’s extremely disappointing.
“We have other work to do, and we are supposed to finish it before the budget presentation in September or early October.”
Sada Soli, a member of the committee, spoke out against the office’s attitude, calling it unbecoming of a custodian of public financial records.
“The explanations they continually give to parliament whenever we bring government agencies that generate revenue to run this country, they will come up and say they will go and reconcile.”
“Mr. Chairman, you and I are on the same committee as you. We consulted with the Accountant General. It’s no surprise he’s in trouble. You are aware. You are the chairman; he was unable to adequately respond to some of our questions.
“We have a country that is drowning in debt.” Nonetheless, we have some institutions with Professionals, well-educated individuals in the Accountant General’s office, who are unable to track our revenue. IPPIS is under threat in the same office. “They need to wake up,” he said.
The Director requested more time to provide the documents in his remarks, saying, “we already have the details; maybe you should give us some time to go back and make additional copies.”
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