Reps Order Perm Sec To Refund N3.935m To Govt Coffers Within 48 Hrs

House of Representatives Committee on Public Account, yesterday,
gave the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, Mr.
Sabiu Zakari, 48 hours to pay N3.935 million into government
coffers or face the wrath of Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC.

This development was sequel to deliberation on a query raised by
the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation asking for
explanation on identified extra budgetary spending by three
agencies under the ministry to the tune of N1.195 billion in
2015.

The committee, led by Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Obio Akpor Fed
Constituency, Rivers), also directed the Permanent Secretary to
show evidence of such payment on the next adjourned date, to enable
final decision to be taken on the substantive query.

The current ruling was a deviation from a previous one, which
directed that the Permanent Secretary be remanded in security
custody, pending the payment of of the said sum.

But after a passionate plea by the Permanent Secretary, the
committee soft-pedaled.

Committee members had grilled the Permanent Secretary for close
to an hour, demanding to know why their directive of June 2016 was
not implemented.

Zaphaniah Jisalo (PDP, FCT), had moved that the Ministry of
Transport (Aviation) be made to account for N1.195 billion said to
have been given to staff to make supplies in a non-contractual
arrangement.

The Permanent Secretary, Sabiu Zakari, in his defence, explained
that the funds were disbursed to the staff to make arrangements for
Nigeria at 50 anniversary celebration in October 2015.

Zakari explained further that “when certain projects come up,
there maybe need to approve money for the agencies, even though the
money must have been provided for in the budget.

“The reason is to beat time lag and actualise the projects based
on timelines, which was why the said amount was approved for the
agencies to carry out their activities in the Nigeria at 50
project.”

The committee, using its records identified another officer, P.E
Iroroh, who was at the meeting to brief her superior on the
decision reached.

She said the directive was that “the officers to whom money was
given should be asked to refund, and if they refuse to do so,
should be asked to appear before the committee to show cause why
they should not be recommended for prosecution.’’

Chairman of the committee, therefore, ruled that the PermSec
should regularise the implementation procedures of appropriated
sums under his Ministry before the next adjourned date and show
cause with evidence of payment at the next sitting today.

House of Representatives Committee on Public Account, yesterday,
gave the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, Mr.
Sabiu Zakari, 48 hours to pay N3.935 million into government
coffers or face the wrath of Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC.

This development was sequel to deliberation on a query raised by
the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation asking for
explanation on identified extra budgetary spending by three
agencies under the ministry to the tune of N1.195 billion in
2015.

The committee, led by Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Obio Akpor Fed
Constituency, Rivers), also directed the Permanent Secretary to
show evidence of such payment on the next adjourned date, to enable
final decision to be taken on the substantive query.

The current ruling was a deviation from a previous one, which
directed that the Permanent Secretary be remanded in security
custody, pending the payment of of the said sum.

But after a passionate plea by the Permanent Secretary, the
committee soft-pedaled.

Committee members had grilled the Permanent Secretary for close
to an hour, demanding to know why their directive of June 2016 was
not implemented.

Zaphaniah Jisalo (PDP, FCT), had moved that the Ministry of
Transport (Aviation) be made to account for N1.195 billion said to
have been given to staff to make supplies in a non-contractual
arrangement.

The Permanent Secretary, Sabiu Zakari, in his defence, explained
that the funds were disbursed to the staff to make arrangements for
Nigeria at 50 anniversary celebration in October 2015.

Zakari explained further that “when certain projects come up,
there maybe need to approve money for the agencies, even though the
money must have been provided for in the budget.

“The reason is to beat time lag and actualise the projects based
on timelines, which was why the said amount was approved for the
agencies to carry out their activities in the Nigeria at 50
project.”

The committee, using its records identified another officer, P.E
Iroroh, who was at the meeting to brief her superior on the
decision reached.

She said the directive was that “the officers to whom money was
given should be asked to refund, and if they refuse to do so,
should be asked to appear before the committee to show cause why
they should not be recommended for prosecution.’’

Chairman of the committee, therefore, ruled that the PermSec
should regularise the implementation procedures of appropriated
sums under his Ministry before the next adjourned date and show
cause with evidence of payment at the next sitting today.