News
National Assembly Fails To Account For N9 Billion – Audit Report
The National Assembly management failed to account for a total expenditure of over N9.4 billion in 2014, the latest audit report has revealed.
The money included N9.39 billion for which no “documentary evidence” was provided and a N47 million to be returned to government coffers out of which only N360,000 was returned; giving a total of N9,440,844,572 (nine billion, four hundred and forty million, eight hundred and four thousand, five hundred and seventy two Naira).
The audit report of government bodies (2009-2014) was submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly in March 2016 as statutorily provided. The full contents were recently publicly disclosed by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation on its website.
The report indicted several government bodies of illegal and profligate spending, and failing to remit over N3 trillion into government’s treasury.
Apart from the National Assembly, other key bodies indicted include the state oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ministry of Interior, the Presidency, Central Bank of Nigeria and some foreign missions.
According to the report, between January and December, 2014 under the leadership of David Mark as Senate President and Salisu Maikasuwa as the Clerk, the Management Department of the National Assembly Commission transferred N9,392,995,515.00 (Nine billion, three hundred and ninety-two million, nine hundred and ninety-five thousand, five hundred and fifteen naira) from the general services account to other accounts in different banks.
The purposes stated for the transfer include Senate General Services, Appropriation, Constitutional Review, House of Representatives Services, UNDP Projects and Research Office Services.
However, “no expenditure returns or documentary evidence were rendered to account for how these sums were expended,” the report said, raising question of accountability and legality.
In another case, the report disclosed that the National Assembly management remitted only N360,000, out of a N47 million balance of total personnel vote release and actual expenditure for 2014.
“It was further observed that the total Personnel Vote release for the year 2014 was N1,856,510,517.00 (One billion, eight hundred and fifty-six million, five hundred and ten thousand, five hundred and seventeen naira), and the Actual Expenditure for the same period was N1,808,661,460.18 (One billion, eight hundred and eight million, six hundred and sixty-one thousand, four hundred and sixty naira, eighteen kobo), resulting in a balance of N47,849,057.00 (Forty-seven million, eight hundred and forty-nine thousand, fifty-seven naira).
“However, only an amount of N360,115.08 (Three hundred and sixty thousand, one hundred and fifteen naira, eight kobo) was paid back to treasury at the end of the year.”
No Denial
In May – after the audit report had been submitted to the National Assembly, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts led by Andy Uba (PDP-Anambra) held a public hearing during which a number of government bodies refuted certain findings of the audit report, particularly the disclosure that they didn’t submit their internal audit reports between 2009 and 2014.
Some of the bodies that challenged aspects of the report were CBN, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Nigeria Pension Commission.
However, the National Assembly has not denied the findings of the audit report as they related to the lawmaking body – though its committee castigated the then Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel Ukara, for an “unsatisfactory report”, cashing in on complaints by other government bodies.
The law says the National Assembly should refer the audit report to its committee on Public Accounts for consideration.
After considering the report, the committee is empowered to pass a resolution to either publish the report in the National Assembly journal or government’s official gazette.
Since the committee considered the report, it has not passed the resolution for its publication in either channel.
Efforts to reach Mr. Uba for comments were not fruitful. He did not pick calls to his phone or reply to text message.
News
FG Raises Duty Tour Allowances, Others for Public Officials
The Federal Government has approved an upward review of allowances for officers in public service.
Some of the allowances under review include Duty Tour Allowance, transport allowances, uniform allowances, and overtime allowances.
The decision was reached at the 46th meeting of the National Council on Establishment, chaired by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack.
The NCE, which serves as the highest policy-making body for public service matters, is chaired by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and includes the Heads of Service from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The meeting was preceded by a two-day technical session chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office.
News
Soun of Ogbomoso Urge Subjects Resident In Plateau To Promote Unity, Peace
The Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye has tasked the people of Ogbomosoland residing in Plateau State to unite and corporate with the government.of day both at the state and federal so as to move the Nation forward.
Oba Olaoye who gave the charge at grand reception organised to welcome him to Plateau State by the sins and daughters of Ogbomosho land residing in Plateau State advocated for national unity and peace of the nation.
” I urge you all to cooperate with the Government of the day and respect constituted authorities. “
” I implore that we sustain our exemplary good work ethics and strive to uphold the integrity of the land at all times,”
Olaoye urged the sons and daughters of Ogbomoso residing in the state to join hands in supporting his quest to develop the town.
He said, “To achieve this, it’s crucial that the indigenous people embrace their town with love and pride. I believe this is the foundation for meaningful growth.
He said to achieve a great country, Nigerians must commit to patriotism and rededication to the ideals of nation-building.
Speaking further, Oba Olaoye said” I did not know I was going to be King, until God revealed it to me, and that was the reason why I left the United States of America. “
Oba Olaoye emphasized that his aim is to put Ogbomosho in its rightful place and that there is the need for the people in the town to unite with him for the development of the town and that it was God that sent him to rebuild the city and to work for the progress of the city.
“ We are working to ensure that Ogbomosho would be different. In terms of development, Ogbomoso will be different in terms of peace, Ogbomoso will be different. I want you to know it is a new thing in Ogbomosoland.
“We cannot solely rely on the government. While the government will contribute significantly, much of the effort will come from us. It is time for us to unite, roll up our sleeves, and work together to develop our town.”
Speaking earlier the Asiwaju Yoruba of Plateau Chief Olajide Olagbemiro welcomed the Traditional ruler to the state and restated their commitment to peaceful coexistence with their host communities.
Jide said, “The Yourbas are peaceful people who obey constituted authorities .
We would continue to stay peaceful with our host communities, he added.
Our correspondent reports that the Soun of Ogbomosholand also paid a courtesy call on his Royal highness Da Jacob Gyang Buba, the Gbong Gwom Jos.
Foreign
BREAKING: Namibia Elects First Female President
Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party was declared winner Tuesday of last week’s disputed elections, ushering in the southern African country’s first woman president after a disputed vote that the main opposition has already said it does not recognise.
Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took just over 57 percent of ballots followed by the candidate for the main opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) with 25.5 percent, the election authority announced.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, becomes the first woman to rule the mineral-rich southern African country that has been governed by the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) since independence in 1990.
The November 27 election was extended twice as logistical and technical problems, including a shortage of ballot papers, led to long queues.
Some voters gave up on the first day of voting after waiting for up to 12 hours.
The IPC has already said this was a deliberate attempt to frustrate voters and it would not accept the results of the elections.
Its presidential candidate Panduleni Itula, 67, said last week there were a “multitude of irregularities”.
No matter the result, “the IPC shall not recognise the outcome of that election”, he said on Saturday, the last day of the extended vote.
Opposition Rejects Poll
Itula said the IPC would “fight… to nullify the elections through the processes that are established within our electoral process”.
An organisation of southern African human rights lawyers serving as election monitors said the delays at the ballot box were intentional and widespread.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) admitted to failures in the organisation of the vote, including a shortage of ballot papers and the overheating of electronic tablets used to register voters.
Of the nearly 1.5 million registered voters in the sparsely populated country, nearly 77 percent had cast ballots in the presidential vote, it said Tuesday.
The election was seen as a key test for SWAPO after other liberation-era movements in the region have lost favour with young voters.
In the past six months, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority and the Botswana Democratic Party was ousted after almost six decades in power.
Namibia is a major uranium and diamond exporter but analysts say not many of its nearly three million people have benefited from that wealth in terms of improved infrastructure and job opportunities.
Unemployment among 15- to 34-year-olds is estimated at 46 percent, according to the latest official figures from 2018, which is almost triple the national average.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, a SWAPO stalwart known by her initials NNN, will be among the few women leaders on the continent.
The conservative daughter of an Anglican pastor, she became vice president in February this year.
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