Reps may issue bench warrant against CBN Gov, NNPC GMD, 52 others

The House of Representatives may issue a bench warrant against Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emiefele, Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mele Kyari and 52 other heads of government agencies for gross violation of the provisions of the Financial Regulatory council on rendition of audited account.

This was contained in a report sighted by The Nation on Sunday, which also recommended past and present Chief Executive Officers of several government agencies and their Directors of Finance and Account should be handed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

Non submission of audited account to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation is considered an offence under the laws of the land.

Some others are to be sanctioned for delays in the submission of their audited accounts despite receiving money annually from the nation’s budget.

The 161- page report submitted to the House by its Committee on Public Accounts also listed all subsidiaries of the NNPC, including Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company Limited, West Africa Gas Limited, Nigerian Gas Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and National Petroleum Investment & Management Services (NAPIMS) as culpable.

Also included on the list are Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA); Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN); Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC); National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Niger Delta Power Holding Company (National Integrated Power Project).

The report also recommend that all accounting officers of the 54 government agencies that refused to appear before the House Committee to defend their positions should be issued warrant of arrest to compel their appearance within a week in line with Section 89 (d) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

The report was supposed to have been considered before the House embarked on its summer vacation but was stepped down along with others owing to controversy arising from the consideration of the Electoral Act amendment bill.

The report accused the management of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of “recklessly and deliberately” refusing to render their audited accounts from 2005 – 2019) in violation of Section 85 (3) (b) of the 1999 Constitution and recommend that “all those in Office that were responsible should be disciplined and referral to the EFCC in line with Financial Regulation 3129 of 2009”.

Also to face the EFCC are all the Director-Generals and DFAs as well as the various External Auditors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) from 2006 to 2019 for refusing to render the audited accounts for the last 13 years.

Also, Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC); University of Calabar; Nigeria Communication Satellite (NigComSat); Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (including the former Vice Chancellor); Federal Housing Authority, Federal Mortagage Bank of Nigeria among others are to face the EFCC for investigation and prosecution.

The report is the outcome of an investigation into the allegation of deliberate and reckless refusal by Non Treasury funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to remit audited accounts covering 2014 – 2018 to the Auditor General for the Federation ordered by the House following a motion by the Deputy Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, Rep. Abdullahi Sa’ad Abdulkadir and 44 others.

The investigation was to identify the Chief Executive Officers of these agencies, whether in active service or retired, found to have violated the provisions of section 85(2)(3) and (4) of 1999 Nigeria Constitution and hold them liable for their actions.

It was to determine the procurement process of engagement of the External Auditors by these Non-Treasury Funded Agencies and whether they made up their professional ethics in turning in their reports for prompt remission to the Auditor General Office as at when due.

The report said over 300 MDAs were invited to appear before the committee, out of which about 54 refused to appear to defend their positions.

The report commended management of the National Examination Council (NECO), Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) among others for rendering their audited account on schedule.

On the National Health Insurance Scheme, the report said “the NHIS has not rendered its audited accounts for past 13 years.”

The Nation on Sunday