HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GIVES ACCOUNTANT GENERAL 72- HOURS TO SUBMIT REPORT ON COVID-19 FUNDS 31-10-23
By Sadiq Aminu The House of Representatives has issued 72-hours ultimatum to the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein to submit detailed report on the utilisation of the N100 billion COVID-19 intervention funds released by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to Ministries, Departments and Agencies between 2020 and 2022.
The Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts Mr Bamidele Salam who issued the notice in Abuja, frowned at the AGF’s refusal to comply with the resolution of the Committee to submit the report on the 27th October, 2023.
While reading the Riot Act against the AGF, Mr Salam explained that the House had mandated the Committee to investigate the expenditure incurred under the COVID-19 interventions especially in the year 2020 and up to 2022.
“A letter was written to the Accountant General to furnish the committee with details of all releases pursuant to the provisions of the Appropriation Act as well as other interventions captured by the released from Central Bank of Nigeria to different Ministries, Departments and agencies of Government.
“That letter, I was duly informed showed that submission is expected on or before October 27, 2023. As we speak, that input has not been received from the office of the accountant general of the Federation.
To this end, he directed the AGF to transmit the report before the close of work on Friday, 3rd November, 2023.
The House resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 intervention funds from 2020 to 2022’, approved by Federal Government for various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) between 2020 and 2022.
While leading the debate on the motion, Hon. Nyampa Dauda Zakari who underscored the role of the National Assembly in exposing corruption in the utilisation of public fund, Hon. Zakari lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the loss of lives, jobs and economic opportunities for millions of homes in different parts of the world including Nigeria.