Tag: Reps

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has said over 300 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government have failed to submit their audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation (OAuGF), as required by law.  

Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, announced at the resumed investigative hearing of the committee on the expenditure of government agencies from the COVID-19 funds, that some of the agencies had not submitted their audited reports for about 10 years.

Salam said the committee would investigate the MDAs that had defaulted in submitting their audited reports, as provided for in the 1999 Constitution, as amended. 

He said the House would also verify all government projects across the six geopolitical zones of the country to determine if truly they exist and the extent of work carried out on them. 

The committee investigating the failure of the MDAs to submit their audited accountd is headed by Zakaria Nyamkpa (PDP, Adamawa) and has one member each from the geo-political zones. 

Read Also: Reps to investigate over 300 MDAs’ failure to submit audited accounts to OAuGF

The members are: Kabir Ahmadu Maipalace (Northwest), Maruf Adebayo (Southwest), Ojema Ojotu (Northcentral), Ogbodon Mitema (Southsouth), Ja’afaru Leko (Northeast), and Sunday Nnamchi (Southeast). 

Salam also announced six zonal committees to verify government projects in each geopolitical zone of the country.

The committees are expected to work throughout the Christmas holiday period and report back to the Committee on Public Accounts in January when the House resumes from the Yuletide break. 

The zonal verification committees, which has seven members each, have the following lawmakers as chairmen: Chinedu Martins (Southwest), Olumide Osoba (Southeast), Jeremiah Umaru (Southsouth), Taofeek Ajilesoro (Northcentral), Garba Inuwa (Northwest) and Mustapha Aliyu (Northeast). 

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts said on Monday, December 4, that over three hundred Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government have failed to submit their audited accounts to the office of the Auditor General for the Federation as required by law.

Section 85 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which established the Office of the Auditor General required that all agencies of government must submit their audited accounts to the OAUGF not later than the 31st of May of the preceding year.

The section also required the Auditor General to submit an audited report of all government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to the National Assembly within 90 days of receiving such report from the MDAs.

However, the last audited report of the consolidated revenue of the government submitted to the National Assembly is the 2019 audit report which was submitted in September 2021.

The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, of the House, Hon. Bamidele Salam said at the resumed investigative hearing of the Committee on the expenditure of government agencies from the COVID 19 funds, that some of the agencies have not submitted their Audited report for about ten years

Hon. Salam said the Committee will investigate to ascertain the MDAs that have defaulted in submitting their audited report as provided for by the 1999 constitution as amended.

He said the House will also undertake a verification exercise of all government projects across the six geopolitical zones of the country to determine whether the projects are on the ground and the extent of work carried out on them.

Read Also: House Deputy spokesman knocks Jigawa Reps member over ‘careless’ comments on 2024 budget

He said: “The Committee to investigate the failure of the MDAs to submit their audited account is headed by Hon. Zakaria Nyamkpa (PDP-Adamawa) and has one member each from the six geo-political zones.

“The members are Hon. Kabir Ahmadu Maipalace (North West), Hon. Maruf Adebayo (South West), Hon. Ojema Ojotu (North Central), Hon Ogbodon Mitema (South-South), Hon. Ja’afaru Leko (North East) and Hon. Hon. Sunday Nnamchi (South East).”

He also announced six zonal committees to verify government projects in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country who are expected to work throughout the Christmas holiday and report back to the committee in January 2024 when the House resumes from the Christmas break.

The zonal verification committees which have seven members each have as Chairmen, Hon. Chinedu Martins (South West), Hon. Olumide Osoba (South East), Hon. Jeremiah Umaru (South-South), Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro (North Central’ Hon. Garba Inuwa (North West) and Hon. Mustapha Altyu (North East),

Apart from the COVID-19 projects, the Committee will also verify every project that has come under the radar of the Public Accounts Committee from the MDAs within the last two months when the Public Accounts Committee was constituted.

The House of Representatives (Reps) on Tuesday, November 28, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to interface with the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies in Edo state with a view to averting a possible breakdown of law and order in the state.

The House also mandated the ad hoc committee to interact with the government of Edo state and the Benin Traditional Council with a view to resolving the conflict brought about by the plan of the state government to create more traditional institutions from the Benin kingdom.

This followed a motion of urgent public importance to alert the House of possible breakdown of law and order in the state as a result of the plan by the state government sponsored by Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Hon. Billy F. Osawaru, Hon. Murphy Omoruyi, and Hon. Esosa lyawe.

The four lawmakers represent the seven local government areas that make up Edo South Senatorial district covering Benin Kingdom.

Presenting the motion before the House, Hon Dennis Idahosa reminded them that the Benin Kingdom is of very ancient origin dating back to several millennia, with the Oba of Benin as the only titular traditional ruler of the kingdom.

He said due to the incidence of colonialism and subsequent creation of local government areas, the Benin Kingdom is now encapsulated in the seven Local Government Areas that make up Edo South Senatorial District, namely Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba-Okha, Uhunmwonde, Orhionmwon, Ovia South West and Ovia North East Local Government Areas of Edo State.

According to him, despite the creation of seven Local Government Areas in Edo South, the Oba of Benin remains the sole traditional ruler in the entire local government areas comprising Edo South Senatorial District.

He said further that the Oba of Benin (with the support of Chiefs appointed by him) exercises his customary dominionship over the Benin Kingdom through the Benin Traditional Council, as the only competent traditional authority in Edo South Senatorial District.

He expressed concern that without any cause the Government of Edo State has announced its intention to institute a “new regime” by creating new traditional councils in the said seven Local Government areas of Edo South Senatorial District, with Chiefs appointed by the Oba constituted into these separate proposed traditional councils.

He said this plan amounts to constituting parallel customary authorities to compete with the Oba of Benin in dominionship over the Benin Kingdom, thereby balkanizing the age-long kingdom.

Read Also: Tinubu writes Reps for approval for $8.6b, £100m external loans

He said the plan was provocative and unconscionable infiltration into the revered ancient traditional structure of the Benin Kingdom, which is generating monumental distress and tension in Edo South Senatorial District, with serious possibilities of degenerating into violent breakdown of law and order in the District.

He said since the federal government is the ultimate authority in the maintenance of law and order across the country and in Edo South Senatorial District in particular, there is an urgent need for the federal government to take decisive steps to avert the possible breakdown of law and order in the Edo South Senatorial District because of the highly provocative plan to split the Benin Kingdom, under multiple traditional councils.

He said if no urgent federal government mediatory intervention is initiated, the security of lives and properties in Edo South Senatorial District may be jeopardised.

The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has promised to work toward ending recurring strikes in Nigerian universities.

Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the Chairman of the committee said this known at a meeting with the Executive Secretary of National University Commission (NUC) and Vice-Chancellors of federal Universities in Abuja on Tuesday.

“This kind of meeting is necessary considering the fact that it is a new government, new assembly, new committee and new committee’s leadership,” he said.

He said the House leadership had created six committees out of the previous two, for quality oversight.

Fulata said that the committee was working toward ensuring quality, reliable, easy access and rewarding university education.

“It is unfortunate that university education today is facing serious challenges spanning form strike actions, cultism, insecurity, drugs pedaling and immoral acts,’’ he said.

He said the challenges required collective efforts to address including the intervention of the committee and contributions of all well-meaning Nigerians.

Read Also: NAF’s strikes eliminate key Boko Haram figure, several others in Borno

In his response, the acting Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Chris Maiyaki said that Nigerian universities were faced with lots of challenges.

He expressed confidence that with the commitment of National Assembly some of the problems would be addressed.

Prof Folasade Ogunsola, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellors, said that Nigerian universities had the potential to emerge the best in Africa.

(NAN)

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 22, asked its committee on Public Account to investigate the non-remittance of revenue generated through the Remita platform to government coffers.

This followed a motion on notice sponsored by Hon. Jeremiah Umaru and Hon. Jafaru Gambo on alleged revenue leakages through the Remita platform.

He also alleged non-compliance substantively with Standard Operating Procedures and other allied Service Level Agreements signed among Deposit Money Banks, Office of The Accountant General, Systemspec, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Presenting the motion, Hon. Umoru said the country was experiencing a revenue issue and not that expenditure.

He disclosed that Remita is a software cum financial service platform owned by System-Specs which is a Private Company in charge of managing Government Revenues, it has served as a gateway for the Treasury Single Account of the Federal government since 2012 though fully adopted in 2015 and used in the collection of Government Revenues over the years.

According to him, over N8.7 trillion had been processed through the platform before the deployment of the software, the Nigerian government had over 15,000 Bank Accounts operated by Ministries, Departments, and agencies (MDAs), the proliferation of accounts has moved from deposit money banks to Central Bank of Nigeria allowing MDAs to create multiple sub-accounts thereby negating the TSA Policy of the federal government.

He said the TSA system has created a cashless economy, transparency, and effective tracking of cash assets with attendant accountability. It has not indeed fully blocked leakages and abuses by the proliferation of CBN Sub-Accounts.

He alleged that 1% of the funds collected is charged as commission for making use of the platform and shared among SystemSpecs (owner), Deposit Money Banks(processor), and Central Bank of Nigeria (License issuer) in the ratio of 50:40:10 respectively, saying this is alarming and unacceptable.

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He said further that despite the benefits and reasons for on-boarding the Remita Platform, the rate of revenue leakages is worrisome apart from non-compliance substantively with Standard Operating Procedures and other allied Service Level Agreements signed by parties.

He argued that if this scenario continues unabated, the government will continue to experience a revenue shortfall and this will prevent the government from meeting the rising demand for good governance and infrastructural development from citizens.

He also alleged that a larger percentage of deposit money banks has formed the habit of delay in on-ward remittance or sweeping of revenues collected to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The House of Representatives (Reps) has urged states across the federation to consider domesticating the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act to ensure the protection of individuals with disabilities in their respective states.

In a resolution following a motion on notice by Hon. Bashiru Dawodu (APC, Lagos), the Reps also asked the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and religious organizations to sensitize the public about the discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.

Leading a debate on the motion, Hon. Dawodu said that the World Health Organization and World Bank report that Nigeria has an estimated 30 million persons with disabilities.

According to him, countries that promote economic, political, social, and cultural aspirations without discrimination have fully implemented disability rights, including Nigeria, as contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability 2007, in which Nigeria was a signatory.

Read Also: Reps condemn cancellation of visa of Nigerian travellers by Saudi authority, seek inquiry

He revealed that the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 was signed into law to ensure full participation and inclusion of people living with disabilities in all sectors of the economy.

He said the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, tasked with promoting and educating the public about the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, is ineffective.

He said Twenty–three States of the federation are yet to domesticate the law in their states, saying that discrimination stigmatization, and non-inclusion continue both in the private and public sectors.

He said about 15% of the country’s about 250 million population, persons living with disabilities constitute one of the marginalized groups within the Nigerian society contrary to section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).