The House of Representatives on Friday quizzed the management team of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni over the utilisation of N44 billion allocated for the COVID-19 intervention fund in 2020.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Bamidele Salam who presided over the resumed investigative hearing allegation bothering on the misappropriation of COVID-19 intervention funds by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), expressed grave concern over the inability of NEPC management to give account of its stewardship on the utilisation of the public fund.

While acknowledging that the NEPC Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ayeni was newly appointed, the lawmakers frowned at the continued reference to Bank of Industry (BOI) by the Deputy Director of Finance when inquired about the utilisation of the fund.

The Committee also resolved to invite the management of Bank of Industry with a view to ensuring full accountability of the N44 billion approved for the COVID-19 intervention fund to various Institutions.

In her response, NEPC Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ayeni who was appointed on October 16, 2023 confirmed that the details of COVID-19 intervention fund was contained in the handover note given to her on assumption of office.

The office of the Auditor General of the Federation (oAuGF) had during the scrutiny of the Council queried the “expenditure and disbursements Non COVID-19 relief related worth N22,047,616,328.

“Description of Finding Section 80(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigerian 1999 as (amended) states ‘No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly’.

“Also paragraph 415 of the Financial Regulations (FR) states “The Federal Government requires all officers responsible for expenditure to exercise due economy. Money must not be spent merely because it has been voted for,” the audit query reqd in part.

While expressing grave concern over the incoherent presentations made by some of the top officials who accompanied the NEPC Executive Secretary, Rep. Salam alleged that some of the technocrats “deliberately want to frustrate the Parliament.”

While noting that total sum of N60 billion was allocated to NEPC from COVID-19 palliative intervention fund, he maintained that: “It’s either you’re grossly incompetent or you deliberately want to frustrate the works of the Parliament.”

According to him, he observed that: “Actually what we are set to do for any Agency that refuses or neglect to respond, we have made a commitment that we are going to rule against them and all issues under investigation. Should go ahead and do same with the Export Promotion Council.”

In her response, Mrs. Ayeni who requested two weeks extension to enable the Council to get relevant documents from BOI, said: “Honourable Chairman Sir, my apologies, though I just resumed a few months ago but that’s not an excuse, I will like to plead with the honourable House to please give us an extension.

“From what I gathered, most of the documents are with BOI, it’s not an excuse, please we plead for an extension to work with BOI and get the necessary documents.”

Unsatisfied with her response, Hon. Shaba Ibrahim queried the rationale behind the Council’s management’s inability to account for the fund that was approved for it.

He said: “with the magnitude of the amount allocated to your agency, you are trying to tell the Committee that the transactions that took place with this huge amount of money are with BOI, that you cannot explain how the money was used without contacting BOI? And from our record, it was allocated to your agency.”

In his intervention, Rep. Salam said: “we are going to grant them an extension but certainly not two weeks. And that we also invite the BOI to come along with them.

“Because it’s apparent that if they are asked some of the questions, they may be referring to the BOI.

“So, I want to suggest, if the Committee agrees that we grant them a week extension and also write the BoI to cause appearance on the same day that we are going to give them. It is one week, Friday next week, 26th January, 2024,” he ruled. (Saturday Tribune)

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