The Auditor-General of the Federation has exposed a N2 billion financial scandal in the National Assembly expenditure.
The revelation came at a time the National Assembly was under increasing pressure to make its expenditure open.
The AGF’s annual report disclosed that the illegalities were perpetrated in 13 transactions. The transactions, according to the report, involved both chambers of the National Assembly, the management as well as the National Assembly Service Commission, and the National Institute for Legislative Studies.
It indicated that the House incurred the highest infraction of N1.1 billon, followed by NASS management, N347.8 million; NILS, N246.5 million; the Senate N205.7 million; legislative aides, N70 million and NASC,N30 million.
At the House, the Auditor-General observed that contracts for the purchase of 48 units of utility vehicles were awarded to three contractors at N624 million.
It said, “Records however showed that the supply of 14 units of these motor vehicles were not made. The Clerk has been informed and has been requested to recover monies paid for the outstanding 14 vehicles and forward the recovery particulars for audit verification.”
It added that 50 cash advances amounting to N499.6 million were granted to staff to carry out various assignments.
“Some of the vouchers were granted multiple advances without the retirement of the previous ones in violation of financial regulations, which provide that no new advance should be granted, if the previous ones had not been retired,” it stated.
For the Senate, the Auditor-General’s report said N186 million meant for the payment of Motor Vehicle Loan, which was paid into a commercial bank account as indicated in the mandate was misapplied for other purposes, such as organising Senate retreat and pre-valedictory session of the 7th Senate.
The report also observed that bank charges amounting to N15.9 million were charged for the period July to December, 2015 for the Senate.
This action, according to the report, violates the provision of Financial Regulations 417, which states that votes must be applied only to the purpose for which money is provided. Expenditure incorrectly charged to a vote shall be disallowed.
The Clerk of the National Assembly has been notified and requested to explain reasons for the violation of extant rules.
He has also been asked to recover the fund and forward the particulars for audit verification.
