By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Senators are upset with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for under remitting N3.878 trillion from domestic crude oil sales to the Federation Account for January to December 2015.
They also
· Want N865.44 billion illegal revenue deductions stopped
· Directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to refund to the treasury $37.67 million, N67.5 billion, N1.07 billion, $2.3 million, and €196,257.
· Mandated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to prosecute officials who divert funds.
The Senate told the NNPC to desist from further deductions at source as it contravenes Section 162(1) of the Constitution
It mandated the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) or any other approving authority to, as a matter of urgency, approve an agreed percentage to be allocated to the NNPC monthly as operational cost.
Adopted 59 recommendations
These formed part of 59 recommendations adopted by the Senate and contained in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts on the annual report of the Auditor General of the Federation on the Accounts of the Federation for the years ended December 31, 2015.
The Senate in one of its adopted recommendations to the executive arm noted that the outstanding collection from solid minerals (N12,137,140,361.58) not remitted to the Federation Account but kept in an account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Section 162(1) of the Constitution.
The Senate
· Asked the FAAC to fix a percentage to be allocated to Mining and Cadastral Office as cost of collection as applies to NCS (7 per cent), DPR (4 per cent) and FIRS (4 per cent) of non-oil revenue.
· Demanded the sanction of MDA Accounting Officers in line with Rule 3124 of Financial Regulations, for Unretired Advances involving 39 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to the tune of N2,296,567,084.37 billion.
· Gave federal Accountant General Ahmed Idris 90 days to identify and sanction officers responsible for the mismanagement N54,151,360,000 ($274,280,000.00) as exchange loss on External Loans. Idris is to report back to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts.
· Gave another 90 days for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to set in motion the process of recovery of Internal Loans made from other Funds which stand at N390,288,085,668.92 billion and to be paid back into the Special Funds Accounts.
The sources of the loans are
· Development of Natural Resources Account, Stabilisation Fund Account (25 per cent)
· Husked Brown Rice Levy (1 per cent)
· Comprehensive Supervision Scheme (CISS)
· Pool Levy (15 per cent)
· Wheat Grain Levy
· Rice Levy (10 per cent).
Other directives
The Senate
· Directed federal Accountant General to recover N378,879,674.99 tax revenue from Webb Fontaine Limited and remit it to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) within six months.
· Sought a review of all companies paid from the out-flow of 1 per cent CISS Account which amounted to N39,557,671,843.97.
· Directed the NPA to refund $37,627,939.75 million to federal covers due to a lack of diligence in the review of NPA’s charges on a contract of Towage services.
· Mandated the EFCC to investigate NPA Accounting Officer in accordance with Rule 3112 (I and II) of the Financial Regulations.
· Demanded that NPA Director-General who authorised the disbursement of contingency provision on the contract for the rehabilitation of Lagos Harbour moles to the tune of N417,099,309.06 without Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval to be reported to President Muhammadu Buhari in accordance with Rule 3103 of the Financial Regulations.
· Directed the NPA to refund to the treasury various sums in local and foreign currencies, comprising N1,075,266,599.06, $2,301,329.54, and €196,257.42 meant for the Presidential Implementation Committee on Marine Safety and Security (PICOMSS) – monies diverted to the account of the National Security Adviser to the President, contrary to a directive approved by the FEC on February 21, 2007.
· Said the non-remittance of another N67,508,041,250.00 for 2013 and 2014 into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), being 25 per cent of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), contravened the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.
· Noted that the failure to remit capitalised interest to the Consolidated Revenue Fund totalling N99,712,464.24 between 2013 and 2014 contravened Rule 236 of the Financial Regulations.
· Demanded the sanction of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in accordance with Rule 3129 of the Financial Regulations and Public Service Rules 030402 over the diversion of N23,642,000.00 from the Capital Projects Funds to buy Sallah/Christians welfare package for ministry staff.
· Queried N46,645,000.00 and N56,418,135.00 for printing the ministry’s letterhead and demanded the money be recovered and paid back to the treasury.
· Demanded the identification of the Project Accountant who authorised the diversion of N32,783,052.00 meant for IPPIS training and other programmes to bank accounts of staff of the Finance and Accounts Department, instead of paying the approved amounts to beneficiaries.
· Demanded the refund of the amount to government coffers, as well as N718,911,848.00 made in the cashbook as payments to 11 corporate bodies without documentation.
· Asked the ministry to identify and present for disciplinary action, the officers behind the authoridation of N98,400,000.00 in favour of a company for printing leaflets for Petroleum Industry Bill awareness campaign; N54,000,000.00 to a company for assessment and documentation of oil spill sites in 10 states in the Niger Delta; and N25,000,000.00 for actualising e-governance procedure.
Senators noted these infractions violated Rule 3117 of the Financial Regulations.
They
· Asked the EFCC to prosecute within 30 days, the officers in the Ministry of Youths and Sports (National Sports Commission) who certified the payment of N37,185,000.00 from Capital Vote allocation.
· Directed that N2,695,985.00 be recovered from the emolument of the Director-General of the Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), who authorised its payment to individuals instead of a company’s account.
· Demanded the prosecution of SMEDAN Accounting Officer who approved payment of N38,038,238.14 without supporting documents.
· Called on the EFCC to prosecute within 30 days, officers of the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) who were behind the non-remittance of accrued interest on investment in Nigeria Treasury Bills.
· Sought the prosecution of officers of the National Hospital (NHH), Abuja and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) within the same time frame, who were involved in diverting N20,915,998.00 and N14,086,246.00 respectively.
· Requested the Medical Director of Jos University Teaching Hospital to refund N26,321,041.01; and the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta to pay back N19,382,047.50 to the treasury.
· Directed the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Abuja to remit N3,716,805,388.00, N100,958,369.61, N374,734,768.46 and N161,336,427.80 to the CRF and the treasury.
