By ERICJAMES OCHIGBO

An ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives has invited Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume to explain how Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) acquired office space within the federal secretariat.

The committee, christened: Ad hoc Committee to Investigate the Circumstances Surrounding the Existence and Operations of PFIPC and its Inclusion in the Budget Framework, made the resolution in Abuja on Monday at a public hearing.

It also Invited the Minister of Finance, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, his Justice counterpart, Lateef Fagbemi, Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, Director-General of Budget Office, Mr Tanimu Yakubu and other officials.

According to the committee, the invited officials are to appear on July 21 and explain the circumstances surrounding the controversial council.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PFIPC, headed by Adeyemi Adeniyi, was said to be operating from the federal secretariat, had accounts with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and was captured in the 2026 national budget without due process.

NAN also reports that the committee’s resolution followed submissions made by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service (OHCSF) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In her submission, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, told the panel that the office space occupied by PFIPC was allocated to OHCSF.

Walson-Jack said that PFIPC approached her office to approve its organisational structure but it was not granted for lack of proper documentations.

She said that OHCSF did not deploy any staff neither did it approve any office space for the council.

Also speaking, the CBN Director of Banking, Mr Hamisu Abdullahi, acknowledged that PFIFC had two accounts with the apex bank.

Abdullahi explained that on July 30, 2025, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation wrote to CBN, giving the bank clearance to open the accounts.

According to him, it is the standard practice that any agency seeking to open an account, change signatories or close an account must be cleared by the accountant-general’s office before the bank would proceed.

Abdullahi, however, said that though the accounts were opened, no one came forward to be captured as signatories and that the account was never operated.

Responding, Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau), said that the committee would get to the root of the matter. (NAN)