By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Human rights and advocacy organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has appealed to the Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government to probe the alleged missing N106 billion as documented in the 2018 annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Following the report, SERAP has tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate the missing N106 billion public funds from 149 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
SERAP stated that anyone suspected to be responsible should face appropriate prosecution if there was sufficient admissible evidence, adding that any missing public funds should be fully recovered.
It also urged Buhari to direct Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, to create a system of public announcements to mention and shame the indicted 149 MDAs, including those that reportedly failed to remit over N55 billion of their revenue; awarded contracts of over N18 billion for services not rendered; and spent over N23 billion without any supporting documents.
In the letter signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The reported missing public funds reflect the failure of the indicted MDAs to ensure strict compliance with transparency and accountability rules and regulations, and the failure of leadership of the MDAs to foster institutions that uphold the rule of law and human rights.”
According to SERAP, “Recovering the alleged missing public funds would reduce the pressure on the Federal Government to borrow more money to fund the budget, enable the authorities to meet the country’s human rights obligation to progressively realize Nigerians’ rights to quality health care and education, as well as reduce the growing level of public debts.”
The letter was copied to AGF, Mr Malami; Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Professor Bolaji Owasanoye; Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa; and chairman of the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, Mrs Ahmed.