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Tag: irregularities

  • Irregularities

    Unsurprisingly, the Returning Officer for the Imo West Senatorial District election on February 23, Prof Innocent Ibeawuchi, attracted attention when he alleged that he was forced to declare Governor Rochas Okorocha the winner of the poll.

    According to the result, Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got 97,762 votes. He beat Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (68,117) and Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) (30,084).

    Ibeawuchi told reporters he was held hostage from 7pm on February 24 till 11am the following day.  He was quoted as saying:  “I was compelled to announce the result which was inconclusive. I am a man of integrity and it is not true that the governor slapped me but I was held hostage by agents working for him. I was manhandled and I thank God I came back alive.”

    A report said Ibeawuchi had stopped after announcing results for nine of the 12 local government areas (LGAs) in the district, saying he had been directed to “return to Owerri, the state capital.” Okorocha’s supporters had stopped him from leaving the collation centre in Orlu, insisting that he must complete the announcement of the results.  Before this disruption, the results showed that Okorocha had won eight of the nine local government areas.

    Ibeawuchi eventually announced the three remaining results the next morning.  Okorocha won two of the last three LGAs, meaning he won 10 of the total 12 LGAs.

    According to a report, “The results came shortly after Mr Okorocha stormed the collation centre with a contingent of police officials. He tried to persuade Mr Ibeawuchi to complete the results. The professor initially refused to budge.” Does this explain why the professor claimed he had declared Okorocha winner “under duress”?

    Okorocha dismissed Ibeawuchi’s claim in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, which described the returning officer as “a bloody liar who may be acting a script.” The governor added: “They should examine the returning officer to know his mental state. If he doesn’t have a mental illness, then he must be a criminal to ever think of that.”

    The whole story shows that the particular senatorial election was corrupted by irregularities. Indeed, a report said “journalists and observers were initially chased out of the centre,” and security officials fired teargas “in the midst of the controversy at the collation centre.”  The picture is clearly one of the negatives of the February 23 elections.

  • Two shot, DSIEC office razed as violence mars Delta LG polls

    Two shot, DSIEC office razed as violence mars Delta LG polls

    •Two shot in Otu-Jeremi
    •APC rejects exercise, calls for a ‘real election’

    The 2018 Delta State local government  election turned into an orgy of violence yesterday with armed thugs setting the State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) office in Ughelli on fire.

    At least two persons were shot, also in Ughelli, for allegedly resisting an attempt by hoodlums to hijack elections materials.

    Reports from different parts of the state indicated manipulation at different stages of the election process.

    Chieftains of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) described the election as a sham.

    They called for a fresh process.

    It was gathered that trouble started in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North council area of the state at about 8:30am when DSIEC officials were about dispatching election materials to the various units.

    Some armed men unexpectedly invaded the office shooting sporadically, and proceeded to set the office ablaze.

    Party representatives and observers who had gathered there took to their heels, witnesses said.

    Officials of opposition parties in Udu council area, refused to allow distribution of election materials ostensibly after a top official of DSIEC had run away with some election materials.

    An uproar ensued only for a group of Peoples Democratic Party members pretending to be vigilance men  push their way  through the crowd, loaded the remaining materials into waiting vehicles and sped away.

    Election materials remained held up at the Divisional Police Station at Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli South by noon.

    The Nation gathered that voters and members of the opposition parties kept watch around the police station following reports that sensitive materials, including result sheets, were missing.

    A chieftain of the APC in Otu-Jeremi, Ifeanyi Adjekota, called for the rescheduling of the election in the area in view of obvious irregularities.

    The  chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) in Uvwie council area, Ufuoma Okenini, alleged intimidation and threat to the lives of members and supporters of his party by those he described as “thugs of the PDP”.

    Later in the day, the Delta State APC tentatively rejected the local government council election across the state, saying the exercise could not be described as an election, but a sham.

    Governorship candidate of the party in the 2015 election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said reports from all parts of the state showed that it was neither free nor fair.

    Emerhor, who spoke in his Evwreni country home, said the party caucus would make a formal pronouncement on the exercise.

    He called for a fresh exercise, devoid of questionable practices.

    Former Acting Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Pastor Power Aginighan; the chairmanship candidate of the party in Uvwie council area, Ufuoma Okenini and the Thomas Emami, a former councillor in Warri Southwest and younger brother of the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami, all spoke along the same line. Emerhor said: “There was no election in Ughelli North. The same thing that happened in Ughelli North happened all over.

    “We are calling for the outright cancellation of the election. There were no sensitive materials. I can confidently tell you that the strategy of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was not to conduct elections in the state. It was clear that the PDP are afraid that they are not going to win the election.

    “I am sure that you witnessed what happened here in Ughelli North where the DSIEC office was burnt down. The same story you hear here is the same story everywhere. No government should deceive the people and pretend to be conducting an election. If you go round Ughelli North, there is no election going in any of the communities.

    “There was no election in Delta State. The PDP government in Delta State is acting with impunity because they are the ones that elected the DSIEC board. They can go ahead to announce any result. But all we know is that we will not accept any result they will announce. There was no election so therefore we will not accept anybody that they will swear in as the winner.”

    Narrating his ordeal, former councillor representing ward 3 of Warri Southwest council area, Thomas Emami, said he managed to escape death from those he described as thugs of the PDP, who descended on him at the council’s secretariat in Ogbe-Ijoh, while trying to prevent the hijack of materials.

    According to him, he was thoroughly beaten by his assailants, who were bent on stealing materials. He said he was rescued both time by security agents and some community youths who took him away in a boat.

  • PDP, APC trade blame over irregularities

    PDP, APC trade blame over irregularities

    The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) levelled allegations against each other in yesterday’s State and National elections reruns.

    As early as 7:20am, PDP chairman in Rivers, Felix Obuah, alleged that agents of the federal government have bought in N5billion to Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to rig the elections.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, Obuah called on the international community and relevant security agencies to investigate the release and distribution of the alleged N5billion.

    By 8: 46 am, the PDP called on the Rivers people to resist any form of intimidation, shooting and   arrests by fake SARS personnel.

    PDP leadership called on their supporters to resist any form of intimidation and arrest by fake SARS personnel deployed by the It accused the Rivers State SARS Commander, Akin Fakorede, of seeking to manipulate the exercise in favour of the APC.

    The APC leadership in Emohua led by Hon. Lucky Worluh also accused PDP of intimidating its supporters in the area.

    He also alleged that PDP in the state recruited jobless youths, giving them N50,000 each, AK47 and military camouflage to shoot during the re-run election.

    Worluh said: “Wike is busy rising alarm and calling on his supporters to cause problem in the state.

    “He wants to cause distraction but we are going to resist him. Those thugs he recruited cannot have their way in this area we are here to cast our votes.”

    These allegations and counter allegations however did not go down well with some of the political supporters in various wards and units.

    By 10: 30 am, when electoral materials started moving to various units, a group of youths from Port Harcourt City Local government, Khana, Etche, Eleme and  Ahoada took to the street to protest their against perceived manipulations in the exercise.

    Some of the protesters, who identified themselves as supporters of PDP, said they were kicking against distribution of fake elections materials to their wards and units.

    One of the protesters Emeka Onu, who spoke to The Nation said, “We are supporters of PDP in the state we are here to protest against fake result sheets distributed to different Local government like  Emohua, Ikwerre, Gokana, Tai,  Khana,  Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Area, (ONELGA)  Ogo/Bolo, Asari Toru and  Ahoada-West Local Governments.

    “We are going to resist any form of intimidation by the federal government who is using the Minister of Transport to rig the rerun election in the state. Our leaders gave us the assurance to protest and resist any things inimical to electoral law.”

    Amaechi, the immediate governor of the state, voted in his home town ward 8, unit 14, Ubima community in Ikwerre Local government area of Rivers State at about 12: 15pm.

    He told reporters that some alleged PDP thugs in the area have intimidated voters and carted away electoral materials.

    There were cases of ballot box snatching in some of the units in Ikwerre local government area.

    In ward 8, unit 8 in Ubima community, gunmen believed to be working with PDP leaders in the areas snatched electoral materials.

    The Rivers State Public Relations Officer, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ahmad Mohammad yesterday confirmed some of the arrests.

    He however denied the alleged explosion in some part of the state.

    He said: “We have arrested two suspects at Choba axis of the state with result sheets, we have handed them over to Special Crime Investigation Department (SCID) for more investigation.

    “We have also arrested some suspects at Ogali Eleme in Eleme Local government area and other oart of the state.

    At Abual/Odual local government, there were reports of inducement of voters with money.

    A native of Abual, Mr. Ella Johnson, who spoke to The Nation on phone, said: “My brother we are collecting N2000 each here. In fact, that was what made some of us to come out because as of 10 am when the money bag men have not come there was no body in the polling units.”

    In Ogoni axis, there were pockets of violence and protests against fake electoral materials.

    In Etche and Umuma local government areas, there were reports that majority of the wards in the area did not receive electoral materials.

    But by 3pm, our correspondent received a report that a place in Etche like Okomoko, Umuhiagu, Okehi and others just got their election materials.

    One of the PDP party agents in the area, Mr. Chiwendu Nkwoala said: “This is five minutes to 3pm. INEC has not brought any material to this ward 10, unit 1.

    “We are not voting; we are not ready to vote again. Whoever that took the materials made for my ward should go home with it.”

  • Govt discovers irregularities in recruitment of LAUTECH staff

    Govt discovers irregularities in recruitment of LAUTECH staff

    The Osun State Government on Friday said it has discovered cases of irregularities in the recruitment of some staff of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, the state capital.

    In response to the last Wednesday rally of some staff of the hospital, where they claimed that the state government had concluded plans to disengage them, the media aide to the governor, Semiu Okanlawon, in a statement, said the government could not act outside the report of a forensic audit of the staff of the hospital.

    According to the statement, the government through the forensic staff audit was able to discover “various illegal recruitments of staff in excess of over 600.”

    The statement further said: “The audit panel set up in 2015 revealed that about 678 staffers were illegally employed without government approval. Besides, some of these staffers were just administrative officers not urgently needed for the growth of the hospital.

    “The available statistics also showed that some of the administrative officers in question with Bachelor’s Degrees and Higher National Diploma holders were recruited as security and Ward Assistants on Grade Level 02 only to be promoted to Level 07 within three months of their unapproved appointment. The government also discovered over 500 staff that are Executive and Assistant Executive Officers more than triple the number of available doctors and consultants.

    “What sense would it make for hospital with 34 administrative officers; 56 consultants and 154 Resident Doctors to employ 426 Administrative Executive Officers? Should there be need for recruitment at all, will it not be beneficial for government and the hospital management to recruit officers into strategic area of the state’s healthcare needs?

    “With the current statistics available, the Administrative Executive Officers have more than tripled the numbers of doctors, consultants and nurses, who are the special needs of a functional hospital. To make matters worse, all the recruitment and undue promotions of workers from Grade Level 2 to that of Grade Level 07 within 3 months were done without the approval of the government.”

    The statement also disclosed that some resident doctors, “who were asked to go, are those that have exceeded the mandatory six years required to pass residency examination,” adding that some of these doctors have spent more that 10 years in the hospital.

  • Irregularities mar teachers screening in Ondo

    The ongoing verification of public primary school teachers in Ondo State may not produce the desired result.

    Sources said some officials of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and local governments have devised means to cover up irregularities detected during the exercise.

    The screening, which began across the state penultimate week on the order of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, is to sanitise the workforce and expose workers (both teaching and non-teaching), who were allegedly recruited without the government’s approval.

    Mimiko, according to sources, directed the committee handling the exercise to use the March 2009 payroll and payment voucher for the screening.

    It was learnt that some officials of SUBEB and the Local Government Universal Basic Education Authority (UBEA) allegedly recruited over 4,000 workers without the government’s approval between 2009 and 2013.

    The illegal recruitment was allegedly done by the personnel department in the area offices in collusion with their Accounts departments.

    Some of those recruited, who did not have “godfathers” in SUBEB and the local governments, were said to have paid some money.

    Sources at the Local Government UBEA said some of the officials involved in the illegal recruitment have devised means to ensure that their candidates are cleared by the screening committee.

    For example, in Odigbo Local Government, over 200 workers were allegedly recruited illegally.

    The officials were said to have colluded with the accounts section during the screening and presented new vouchers and staff payroll for March 2009. They allegedly injected the names of the illegally recruited workers into the documents before presenting them to the committees.

    A source said: “What happened during the exercise here was unbearable. The personnel and accounts sections colluded to cover up their atrocities. The government should not have been specific about the time of the screening.

    “The moment they learnt that the screening would be conducted in March, they produced a new voucher and pay roll and kept the original document. They also issued new appointment letters to these people and back-dated the letters to 2007 to indicate that they were recruited by the last administration in the state.”

    During a visit to one of the screening centres in Akure, Mimiko vowed to punish anyone who attempts to frustrate the exercise.

     

  • Presidential Panel uncovers irregularities in NDDC projects

    •46 per cent NDDC projects in Edo, Ri

    The Presidential Monitoring Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), chaired by Chief Isaac Jemide, uncovered many irregularities in the activities of the Commission.

    Presenting the committee’s report on monitoring of projects executed by the NDDC between 2005 and 2011 to President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, Jemide said there were large number of projects abandonment and NDDC has refused to recover the funds through appropriate government agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences (ICPC).

    He said the reports were the outcome of a painstaking inspection, assessment and evaluation of projects and programmes executed by the NDDC and other relevant activities.

    Jemide said over 46 percent of projects awarded by the NDDC in Cross River, Edo and Rivers states between 2005 and 2011 were abandoned.

    According to him, most of the water projects embarked upon by the NDDC are non-functional. Besides, the approval and execution of some projects are completely outside the statutory operational scope of the NDDC.

    The NDDC refused to provide accounting records for some of its projects and activities, Jemide said.

    He said: “The committee would, like to draw Your Excellency’s attention to the following critical issues in the reports: The abandonment of a large number of projects and the refusal of NNDC to address the issue of abandoned projects with no evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate government agencies such as EFCC and ICPC.”

    “The failure of the NNDC, to complete all Civic Centre projects over an operational period of 12 years.

    “The failure of NDDC to complete all shoreline protection projects over an operational period of 12 years.

    “The failure of NDDC to complete all university hostel Projects over an operational period of 10 years.

    “It is noted that the Federal Government has allocated billions of Naira on the projects listed in ii-iv above and as spent these monies.

    “The unjustifiable introduction of astronomical variations on the contracts sums of most projects awarded by the NDDC over short periods of time.

    “The deliberate exclusion of some mega projects from the list of projects submitted to the Presidential Monitoring Committee for evaluation.

    “The refusal of NDDC to sanction incompetent contractors such as Fountain Construction Company Ltd handling the Eket-Ibeno road in Akwa Ibom State.

    “It was noted that the incompetence of this contractor led to the strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria Branch (PENGASSAN-MPN) on August 28, last year.”

    On the abandonment of projects, he said: “Specifically, I wish to report to Mr. President that 609 projects spread across the three states were physically inspected and evaluated.

    “Of the 609 projects monitored, 222 (36.5%) were completed, 102 (16.7%) were on-going and 285 (46.8%) were abandoned.

    “The monitoring of 1,510 projects for the period 2005-2011 in the remaining six NDDC states has been completed and the reports are being compiled for submission”.

    President Jonathan promised that the government will look into the report and take appropriate steps to ensure development of the region.

    He said: “I can assure that government is going to look into the report and the summary statement you have made and we will see all we can do for the development of NDDC.

    “I think the report is from 2004 to 2011 that means that that the report of 2011 is yet to come in and that concerns the present leadership of NDDC.

    “What it means is that we have issues in the NDDC. The NDDC was set up because of the militancy in the Niger Delta.

    “Government will look into some of these issues raised and look at what led to the abandonment of projects, the issues of variations and we will find out whether those variations are done in line with the laws.

    “We will also look at the issue of renovation of Port-Harcourt Club because it is privately owned and it was renovated by the NDDC.

    “But from what I have heard it is like there was no interface between the management and the committee and that will even give us a little more work to do.

    “I believe that these are human factors that will be dealt with as we progress, but most especially I have to thank you for the report.”

     

     

     

    vers, Cross River abandoned

    •Jonathan: mismanagement of NDDC fund unacceptable

  • Witnesses: Ondo poll marred by irregularities

    Ten witnesses yesterday appeared for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its governorship candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), at the Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal.

    They were from Akoko North West and Akure South local government areas.

    The witnesses were called to testify in support of the petition filed by ACN and Akeredolu, who are challenging the declaration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the October 20, last year, election by the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC).

    The witnesses said the election was marred by irregularities in their respective local government areas.

    More witnesses are to appear today at the tribunal from local governments being contested by ACN and Akeredolu.

    Before the witnesses were called, the petitioners continued with the tendering of the voter’s register and form EC8-result sheets used in the poll.

    The three-man panel, on Tuesday, accepted the inspected election materials, which were loaded in 18 “Ghana Must Go” bags, as evidence.

    Akeredolu and ACN are challenging election results in the 13 local government areas won by Mimiko.

    All evidence have been accepted by the tribunal to pursue the petition.

    Hearing continues today.

  • Governorship poll marred by irregularities, says Akeredolu

    Governorship poll marred by irregularities, says Akeredolu

    •’ACN ‘ll decide soon’

     

    The standard bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), yesterday said there were irregularities in the poll.

    He added that the leadership of the party was studying the results and would take a decision soon.

    Akeredolu said in a statement he issued to reporters: “It is no longer news that the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the return of the incumbent governor as elected after the Ondo election. I am conscious of the expectation of our supporters and the public on our reaction to the outcome of the election.

    “Let me hasten to state that our party is studying the results and will take a decision on the reports of widespread irregularities from our agents and other witnesses. I have been inundated with tales of the brazen acts of violence perpetrated by thugs during the conduct of the election. I still find it difficult to believe that our security agents played the role of partisans of injustice in some areas of the state. There are, however, incontrovertible evidences of attempts at violence and actual perpetration of same against voters before, during and after the election.

    “I was informed of the arrest of the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Niran Sule, and the Caretaker Chairman of Owo Local Government, Prince Ojomo, by soldiers for being in possession of firearms and large sums of money in the morning of the election day. The news was widely circulated and was later confirmed by several people who witnessed the show of shame. I reliably gathered that the suspects were later released.

    “I also heard of the heavy monetisation of the voting process, particularly by the Labour Party (LP). I was told of the inducement of voters and violent attacks on those who refused to cooperate with them in virtually all the polling units in the state despite the intimidating presence of the security agencies deployed to protect life and property. Owo, my hometown, was practically under siege. My unit was, nevertheless, bombarded by agents of retrogression who insisted that they must make a point with my contrived defeat in my ward. The resilience of the true sons and daughters of Owo ensured that I won. Adequate security was not provided in my polling unit as in most polling units all over the state as voters were openly suborned. My people still stood firm in anticipation of a change. News of the purported defeat in my ward had been sent to the Internet even before counting commenced.

    “There were reports of the arrest of Labour Party chieftains and their sympathisers who were caught with voting materials, especially ballot papers, some few hours to the election. There was news of violence in many towns and villages in the state before, during and immediately after the election. Idanre is being mentioned for sundry reasons. Voters were prevented from voting in some areas where results were returned. Two of our supporters were reportedly killed.

    “Many eligible voters could not find their names on the register provided at the polling units where they had previously voted. In some polling units, the number of accredited voters was less than the results released. Somebody has to explain the difference.

    “In view of these glaring evidences of irregularities, which characterised the exercise, the leadership of the party will meet to decide on the next line of action.

    “I must not fail to thank the good people of Ondo State who supported our aspiration to effect quality change in the system. Their unflinching support and encouragement sustained me throughout my campaign. I cannot forget the show of love and genuine affection. The patience and great expectation of change displayed by all those who came to meet us during our visits to all the nooks and crannies of the state, coupled with the mournful mien worn by many people consequent upon the announcement of the result by INEC, will propel us to defend their interest.

    “I thank you journalists for the wide coverage given my campaign tours and the liberal spaces provided for my interviews. I express my profound gratitude to all those who provided security for me when the level of intolerance displayed became threatening.

    “Let me also seize this opportunity to alert Nigerians that agents of the Labour Party have continued to attack my supporters. A party which has truly won an election need not resort to violence soon after victory. Let me sound this note of warning to the hoodlums who terrorise innocent people that they will not be allowed to escape justice. The power of incumbency will not be strong enough to protect banditry.

    “I call on the government of Ondo State to rein in the excesses of its agents to avert crisis. Our supporters must be allowed to go about their legitimate businesses. There is a limit to what human frailty can withstand.

    “We thank our party leaders for their commitment to the project of socio-economic transformation of the region. We fervently believe that their dream will be realised in a short while. An especial mention must be made of the Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We cannot thank them enough.

    “Our other leaders such as the governors and deputy governors in ACN-controlled states, senators, members of the House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly, party leaders at units, wards, local and state levels were of tremendous assistance. We praise them for their support.

    “As a lawyer of many years, impelled by the consuming passion to chart the murky waters of Nigerian politics, let me assure my friends and supporters that I am learning very fast. My undying belief in the country is sufficient to sustain me. I am equally an unrepentant democrat. I hold onto the ideals of democracy and the rule of law tenaciously. I will continue to join others who truly believe in these precepts to fight for good governance.”

     

  • Financial irregularities: Lagos Assembly to sanction errant MDAs

    Financial irregularities: Lagos Assembly to sanction errant MDAs

    The Lagos State House of Assembly will henceforth sanction any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDAs) that fails to update Fixed Assets Register and Unretired Payment Vouchers as such offence would be regarded as negligence of governmental duty.

    This was contained in the recommendations of the House Committee on Public Accounts (State), which was presented by the committee chairman, Yusuf Ayinla, at the Committee of the Whole House. Ayinla in the report, which was on the accounts of the state government for the year ended 31st December, 2010, disclosed that some MDAs were guilty of certain anomalies that needed urgent intervention.

    Some of the anomalies, according to him, include late submission of financial statements, non-reconciliation of bank statements, non-submission of relevant documents with payment vouchers, negligence of accountants and internal auditors to effectively monitor financial matters in their MDAs, among others.

    The House, in its resolutions, resolved that MDAs that have revenue potentials should henceforth prepare realistic revenue estimates and block loopholes that characterised collection of the state revenues so as to forestall incessant shortfalls.

    It was also resolved that all ongoing projects embarked upon by the MDAs in the year under consideration should be expeditiously executed while evidence of completion should be forwarded to the Assembly.

    The lawmakers also asked MDAs’ accountants and internal Auditors to ensure that all irregularities found in their accounts during the exercise should be rectified within two months or face appropriate sanctions.

    The lawmakers also admonished internal auditors to ensure regular reconciliation of nominal roll registers with payroll in order to avoid incidence of ghost workers, emphasising that prompt transfers of salaries of officers deployed must be carried out immediately, while unclaimed ones should be remitted to the chests

    35 MDAs were indicted in the report due to observations raised by the PAC regarding outstanding issues in their account.