Reps To Block Accounts of Non-Remitting Government Agencies

The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has threatened to order the Accountant General of the Federation to block the accounts of non-remitting government agencies.

This is just as the Director of Finance and Account with the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Musa Jemaku debunked the claim by the Accountant General that they have not paid their operating surplus for three years (2019, 2020 and 2021).

Speaking at the resumed revenue monitoring exercise of the committee, the Vice Chairman of the committee, Mr. Saidu Abdullahi frowned at the refusal of some of the agencies to appear before the committee despite the invitations extended to them.

Mr. Abdullahi said that out of the eight agencies that were invited to appear before the Committee on Monday, only two: the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and the National Health Insurance Authority honoured the invitation.

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The Lawmaker said while two others applied to be given another date, the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, National Broadcasting Commission, National Examination Council and National Inland Waterways Authority all failed to either honour the invitation or communicate to them.

He said “We expected eight agencies to appear before the committee today, but only two agencies came, while two others wrote to request for another date and they were granted.

“However, four others decided to abscond. That was the same word I used last year that did not go down well with some of the agencies. They have decided to play truancy on an assignment that is very important. If members can turn out in large number for this assignment, I don’t see any reason why any agency will decide not to appear before the committee.

“Let me put on record that we hope to have these agencies appear before the committee. Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, National Broadcasting Commission, National Examination Council and National Inland Waterways Authority.

“We expect them to appear by tomorrow, Tuesday. If they fail to appear before this committee, we may be forced to take appropriate actions. We may write to the Office of the Accountant General to block their account.

“We will not take it lightly with any agency because this is an assignment that is very important to this country. We talk about revenue and if we cannot collect the revenue accruing to his country, I think there is a big problem”.

False claims

The Director of Finance and Account with the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Musa Jemaku however debunked the claim of non-remittance by the office of the Accountant General of their operating surplus of three years (2019, 2020 and 2021).

Mr. Jemaku who said that the agency has paid about N800 million to the government this year also faulted the AGF’s claim that they have only paid about N602 million to government coffers.

He explained that there is a circular from the office of the Minister of Finance for the implementation of the Finance Act 2020, adding that the circular automated the process of paying the 50 percent deduction, adding that “the AGF should be in a better position to answer the question on why the system could not deduct the correct 50 percent for the period.

“On a lighter note, let me say that this is not the avenue for the AGF to draw our attention to the none payment or operating surplus when there is no official communication from them to the agency”.

Emmanuel Ukoh