Leadnaija
Despite clear statutory provisions, key agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have ignored summons by the legislature regarding billions missing from the federal revenue.
This was revealed by Aliyu Ahmed Wadada, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, in Abuja on Tuesday. The lawmaker stressed that the unaccounted funds represent resources earmarked for national development.
Wadada had expressed dissatisfaction with the agencies’ refusal to answer queries by the Auditor General of the Federation, as documented in the most recent audit report of the federation account.
Most importantly, the lawmaker and his committee were displeased with the agencies’ decision to snub the legislature despite summons to account for the missing funds.
According to the committee chairman, the missing funds could transform Nigeria’s infrastructure yet agencies entrusted with public resources conspire to evade accountability.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria, I have a course on one of the issues that I’ve got to do with Central Bank of Nigeria, I have a course to take it on the floor of the Senate,” Wadada said.
“It is important for Nigerians to know, under the so-called Ways and Means. What happened under Ways and Means?
“Central Bank of Nigeria debited consolidated revenue funds account and credited the treasury single account which amounted to over N30 trillion.
“Consolidated revenue funds account is government’s account. And the TSA is also the government’s account. And in charging the interest, instead of the interest to be charged to the treasury account, they went again ahead to charge the treasury account.
“They went again ahead to Treasury account… Charge Consolidated Revenue Funds account which now has amounted to over 6 trillion.”
He also noted that repeated attempts to obtain explanations from the Nigeria Customs Service have been met with silence. Wadada said that entities like Nigeria Satellite Communications Limited, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority have similarly ignored Senate invitations.
The Nigerian Constitution provides the National Assembly with strong investigative powers. Section 88(1) clearly states that each House of the National Assembly may direct or cause to be directed an investigation into any matter within its legislative competence.
Section 88(2) confirms that these powers exist to facilitate lawmaking and to root out corruption, inefficiency or waste.
Furthermore, Section 89(1) empowers the Assembly or its committees to summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence or produce documents necessary for an investigation.
This constitutional authority is reinforced by the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act. The Act not only empowers legislators to issue summons, Section 10(1) makes it an offence for any person summoned by the Assembly to fail to provide evidence without a reasonable excuse.
Section 11 goes further by establishing that refusal to answer a material question during an investigation is an offence punishable by a fine or up to 12 months of imprisonment. Section 20 empowers the legislature to issue arrest warrants for those who ignore its summons.
In January, FIJ reported how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited illegally deducted N426 billion from federal revenue during former Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure as Minister of Petroleum.
The information was documented in a November 2024 audit report by the Office of the Auditor General. The report further noted that the NNPCL failed to respond to inquiries regarding four specific financial irregularities in its accounts.
Moreover, the audit disclosed that federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) spent over N110 billion on personnel and overhead costs in 2021 without the necessary budgetary approval.
Senator Wadada warned that if these agencies continue to evade accountability, the Senate would not hesitate to report their heads directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.N..>>Don’t Miss Out! CLICK HERE TO KEEP READING>>>>>
