Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Senator Mathew Urhohide has described as spurious allegations of financial impropriety levelled against the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF).
The Committee which cleared the Bureau of the allegations when the Director-General of the Privatisation Agency, Mr Alex A. Okoh appeared before the Committee during the week, said the OAuGF did not reconcile its records before going public to accuse BPE of a financial misdemeanour.
Recall that the OAuGF had accused the Bureau of some financial infractions; especially the non-remittance of revenue on ports concessions in the sum of USD$679,403,172.00.
In a statement, Ibeh Uzoma Chidi, Head, Public Communications of the BPE said on the Ports Concession payments, the Director-General informed the Committee that the Bureau was only a party to the concession as all revenues generated from the exercise were paid directly to the Landlord – Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
He stated that the Bureau was never part of revenue collection during and after the concession, adding that the OAuGF arrived at the figures by merely looking at the contract documents and assuming the revenues were paid to the Bureau.
Okoh regretted that the allegations against the Bureau has put a smudge on the reputation and integrity of the BPE and demanded a retraction and apology from the OAuGF.
After listening to the presentation by the DG, BPE and the inadequate response from the OAuGF, the Committee exonerated the Bureau from all the allegations.
The Committee, therefore, advised the OAuGF to always meet with relevant agencies for Post Audit Reconciliation before going public and berated the OAuGF for not diligently carrying out its duties.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Financial impropriety allegations Financial impropriety allegations
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Financial impropriety allegations Financial impropriety allegations
and then