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Heads of Nigerian MDAs can’t account for N377bn, $100,000 – 2019 Audit

AT least four Nigerian ministries and their agencies could not account for N377 billion and over $100,000, the government’s 2019 audit has revealed.

Infractions uncovered by the audit include unspent balances on capital votes not returned to the government coffers, payments for foreign travels without evidence of approvals, and payments made without vouchers.

There are also advances not retired, granted advances above statutory limit, irregularities in the award of contracts, payment of unapproved allowances, and payments made for contracts not executed.


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Others are: unremitted internally-generated revenues, funds misappropriation/misapplication, payment vouchers not presented for examination, taxes not deducted and taxes not remitted.

Auditor-General for the Federation  Adolphus Aghughu signed the audit report titled: ‘Auditor-General for the Federation’s Annual Report on Non-compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses Issues in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the Year Ended 31 December 2019.’

The audit observed that N5.17 billion was the advances not retired in 23 MDAs during the year.

The House of Representatives has the highest advances not retired, amounting to N2.9 billion, while the Nigeria Ports Authority has the least amount of N17,000.00.

The audit observed that N6.18 billion was the unspent balances on capital votes not returned by four MDAs.

Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority, Owerri, has the highest amount of N2.5 billion in this area, while the Veterinary Council of Nigeria has the least amount of N36 million. 

Contracts awarded with irregularities by 18 MDAs amounted to N4.1 billion. The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters has the highest amount of N1.13 billion in terms of contract irregularities, while the National Inland Waterways Authority, Lokoja, has the least amount of N6.9 million.

Twenty-four MDAs granted advances above the statutory limit of N200,000.00 to circumvent the procurement process. The fund that went into that infraction was N4.55 billion.

The Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, has the highest amount of N1.8 billion in this area while Kainji Lake National Park Management Board, New Bussa, has the least amount of N4 million.

Payments made for contracts/services not executed by five MDAs amounted to N6.2 billion. The Nigeria Ports Authority has the highest amount of N4.5 billion, while the Federal Government College Enugu has the least amount of N3 million

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Payments for foreign travels without evidence of approvals by six MDAs totalled N182.7 million. The National Hajj Commission did not also provide evidence for alleged foreign trips running into $100,377.

The FCT Social Development Secretariat has the highest amount of N56 million, while the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment has the least amount of N6 million.

Payment vouchers not presented for examination by 11 MDAs amounted to N3.9 billion.

The Senate has the highest amount of N1.7 billion, while Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic Kazaure Jigawa has the least amount of N20.8 million.

The report estimated store items not taken on ledger charge by 13 MDAs at N801.2 million.

Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited Abuja has the highest amount of N250 million, while the Embassy of Nigeria, Addis-Ababa, has the least amount of N6.5 million.

Payment vouchers paid without attachment of relevant supporting documents by 27 MDAs were estimated at N4.3 billion. The Code of Conduct Tribunal has the highest amount of N434.5 million, while Kainji Lake National Park Management Board New Bussa has the least amount of N474,646.

Four MDAs made payments without vouchers, totalling N6.6 billion. The Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, has the highest amount of N5.5 billion, while the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research, Benin, has the least amount of N10.2 million.

Revenues/internally generated funds not remitted to relevant authorities by 15 MDAs stood at N127.1 billion. The Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters, Abuja, has the highest amount of N125 billion, while Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority, Owerri, has the least amount of N5.3 million.

Taxes not deducted by 19 MDAs were estimated at N829.6 million. The Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, has the highest amount of N534.2 million, while the National Agricultural Seeds Council, Sheda, Abuja, has the least amount of N1 million.

Taxes not remitted by 12 MDAs were estimated at N5.8 billion. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has the highest amount of N3 billion. In contrast, the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa, has the least amount of N1 million. 

The amount paid in violation of the e- payment policy of the Federal Government by 10 MDAs was N785.1 million. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has the highest amount of N700.1 million, while the Nigeria Exports Processing Zones Authority has the least amount of N1.2 million.

Extra-budgetary expenditure/virement without approval by nine MDAs was N49.5 billion. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has the highest amount of N48.4 billion, while the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Abuja, has the least amount of N1.6 million.

Ten MDAs misappropriated/misapplied N18.2 billion. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has the highest amount of N11.5 billion, while the Public Complaints Commission has the least amount of N1.8 million.



Twenty MDAs made irregular payments/unapproved allowances to their staff, totalling N132.5 billion.

The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc has the highest amount of N97.9 billion, while the National Commission for Colleges of Education, Abuja, has the least amount of N2.8 million.




     

     

    The audit accused five ministries of engaging in extra-budgetary expenditure/virement running into N227 million without approval.

    The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc has the highest amount of N112.3 million, while the National Insurance Commission has the least amount of N10.8 million.

    The ICIR reports that the audit’s findings could be the tip of an iceberg in a country tainted by large-scale corruption.

    The Federal Government runs about 28 ministries and hundreds of agencies and departments.

     

    Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org

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