The Auditor-General of the Federation report has revealed how some National Assembly members, who were on an oversight duty to the Corporate Affairs Commission, ensured that the agency coughed up N27million for the training expenses of the lawmakers, outside its statutory budget.
The lawmakers, according to the AuGF 2017 report, requested the CAC to sponsor the ad-hoc committees on “training both locally and internationally” even though the National Assembly had its budgets for such purposes.
The AuGF 2017 report, Section 10, Revenue Audit Department, as seen by SaharaReporters, showed that the National Assembly had unnecessarily interfered in the finances of CAC to the tune of N27,117,674.00.
The document further stated that the infraction was communicated to the CAC Registrar General, through a letter, but the commission responded saying that the “observation was noted.”
SaharaReporters learnt that nothing had been done since 2018 that the fraud was brought to the attention of the commission.
The AuGF report partly reads, “Audit of compliance with existing Federal Government Circular No. ECD/P/230 dated 18th October 1996, and circular no. SGF.6/VIII of 8th May 2008 from the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation; it emphasised that ministers and ministries accepting or requesting for funds and financial support of any form, including loans and purchase of vehicles from parastatals under their supervision should be stopped henceforth.
“However, it was observed that the National Assembly in addition to their statutory oversight functions at CAC requested that the commission should sponsor some activities of their ad-hoc committees such as training both locally and internationally even though the National Assembly has their budget which covers all their activities.
“The risk of this may affect the commission’s ability to carry out its programmes and projects in line with its approved budget.
“This issue was communicated to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, through my letter reference No. OAuGF/CAC/VOL.1/1/2017 dated 5th July 2017. The commission responded stating that the “observation was noted”, and nothing has been done after that. Their response is not satisfactory because it failed to address the issue raised adequately.
“The Registrar General is however required to recover the sum of N27,117,674.00 paid to the NASS members in violation of extant rules.”
