Senate adopts 2016 Audit reports …as it uphold queries against NNPCL, others

By Iyojo Ameh

The Nigerian Senate, Wednesday adopted report of its committee on Public Accounts which specifically focuses on the Auditor General’s reports of 2016 .

Queries raised against 37 Ministries , Departments and Agencies ( MDAs) , by the office of Auditor – General of the federation were sustained while those against 43 others were vacated in the report.

Among the indicted MDAs , is the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over alleged failure to provide details of crude Oil delivered to Warri, Kaduna Refineries worth about $376, 655,589 (N102.

The query reads, “from the review and examination of domestic Crude Oil Lifting sales profile presented for audit verification, it was noted that several deliveries were stated to be jointly lifted by or delivered to Warri Refinery and Petrochemical company (WRPC) and Kaduna refinery and Petrochemical Company without necessary details or breakdown of what was delivered to respective companies.

“From the examination carried out a total oil lifting of 8,399,017; bbls with a total sales values of $376, 655,589 (N102.6 billion) was stated to have been lifted jointly by these two companies.

“The failure to properly separate these deliveries and charge directly to each company makes it difficult to reconcile and account for each lifting.”

The Senate therefore, upheld the recommendation of its Committee asking the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari to ensure specific details of crude delivered to the two refineries for audit.

Also among the indicted government agencies , is the Ministry of Information and Culture over three unrecovered vehicles .

The query as adopted by the Senate reads: ” Audit Investigation revealed that Toyota Land Cruiser and two Toyota Hilux pick up Vans , observed to be missing , were in the custody of former Minister of the Ministry and a female staff in Sure-P office .

“In his response to the query , the Permanent Secretary explained that the Toyota Land Cruiser was an official vehicle of the Minister , High Chief Edem Duke and he took it away when he was leaving the office.

“The Ministry, the Permanent Secretary added , has written series of letters to the former Minister to return the vehicles but to no avail”

Some of the 35 other indicted agencies are ÷ office of Accountant General of the Federation , National Population Commission, National Agency for the Control of Aids ( NACA), FCT Area Council Service Commission, Ministry of Defence , Ministry of Justice , National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) etc .

The Senate accordingly resolved to submit the report of the indictment to the Office of Secretary to the Government of Federation for further action .

It also resolved to come up with a bill that will enforce the implementation of the outcome of the Auditor General report submitted to the National Assembly for consideration.