The House of Representatives, on Thursday, rejected the financial statement of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) for remitting the sum of N1 billion out of total sum of N20.7 billion revenue generated in 2021, in breach of extant financial regulations.
Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon Saidu Abdullahi, who frowned at the development during the 2021/2022 budget defence of PENCOM as well as presentation of the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework/Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP), unveiled plans to extend the engagement by one week to Thursday, September 15, 2022.
Hon Abdullahi who frowned at the absence of the PENCOM Director-General, Dr Aisha Dahiru-Umar, at the hearing, ruled that the Commission’s accounting officer should appear in person on Monday, September 12, 2022, to answer questions on the agency’s budget performance, walked out her representatives.
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According to the document, the Commission’s actual operating surplus stood at N5.532 billion against the projected sum of N1.854 billion while actual staff salaries stood at N10.151 billion against the projected sum of N11.138 billion.
The document further showed that the Commission proposed revenue of N24.878 billion revenue and operating surplus of N3.447 billion for 2023; N26.867 billion revenue and operating surplus of N3.999 billion for 2024 and N29.014 billion revenue and operating surplus of N4.631 billion for 2025.
He observed that documents presented to the Committee showed that PENCOM remitted only N1 billion into government coffers out of N20.7 billion generated in 2021.
“I do not know where to start because your DG is always unavoidably absent, I do not know why she is shying away from sitting with the committee and I think it calls on us to demand responsibility from her.
“I have seen some good numbers here; N20.7 billion generated against a projection of N20.8 billion, that is almost 100 per cent, but why will she shy away, she always has an excuse any time we ask her to appear.
“When you make tenable excuses, we can understand but in her case, she has become notorious in absconding, she plays truancy when it comes to appearing before the committees of the National Assembly. We will step them down today and call for the DG to appear on Monday,” he noted.
While frowning at the non-appearance of head of various revenue-generating agencies invited by the Committee, Hon. Saidu stressed that the committee will not hesitate to report agencies that fail to take advantage of the extension to make their presentation.
He said: “We will continue on Monday and end on Thursday, after Thursday, any agency that fails to appear, we will let Nigerians know those who are shying away from their responsibility that the Constitution has placed on them.
“I have said it over and over that no one was forced to take up responsibility in government, you willingly accepted to serve the people, you willingly accepted to represent the people.
“The committee and by extension, the National Assembly will not tolerate any agency shying away from answering or taking responsibility for their mandate.
“So, by next week, we will continue with the exercise, the Clerk will reach out to agencies that have not appeared, we will write them again, demanding that they appear before the committee.
“After next Thursday, we will now let Nigerians know those who are playing with their money and those who do not take their responsibility very seriously; together, we can make this country great,” he said.
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Reps reject PENCOM’s report on remittance of N1bn out of N20.7bn revenue generated in 2021