The House of Representatives has opened investigation into a revenue shortfall totaling over N8.9 billion as well as the federal government’s management of the multi-billion Naira Ecological Fund.
The period under probe covers shortages in accruable revenue to the federation in 2006 and management of the Ecological Fund from 2003 till date.
To this end, the House Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Jonas Otunla over revenue shortfall. The AGF is to appear before PAC within two weeks. Otunla was scheduled to have made an appearance to the committee on Thursday last week but failed to show up.
As for the Ecological Fund, the committee has also issued sweeping summons on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim; the Permanent Secretary in charge of Ecological Fund in the Presidency; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and the Director of Finance in the Office of the SGF over the management of the Fund from 2003 till date.
The Chairman of the Committee, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, who made the disclosures to newsmen at the weekend, said that while the Accountant General was needed to explain issues surrounding the revenue shortfall, the SGF and others invited were to participate in a forum aimed at examining the deployment of the Ecological Funds.
In September, the Lower House resumed sparing with President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of Nigeria’s multi-billion naira Ecological Fund as its Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, described the intervention facility as “a mystery fund”.
Adeola said at the weekend: “The Accountant General was reminded of the need to appear unfailingly, alongside with all the concerned agencies in relation to pending issues in year 2006, particularly, the Director General, Budget Office and Revenue Agencies responsible for the revenue shortfall amounting to N81, 904,469,177.27.
“The Accountant-General is also to ensure that all the Agencies appearing alongside with him should provide all the necessary documents in relation to the issue they are appearing on to facilitate smooth examination and disposal of such issues.”
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