Non Remittance of Funds: 33 Government Agencies to be investigated by EFCC and Prosecuted

Indications have emerged that the names of 33 government agencies to be prosecuted for non-remittance of funds generated by them has been compiled by the Ministry of Finance.

The Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun revealed yesterday that several government agencies have failed to remit over N450 billion they generated as revenue between 2010 and 2015.

While addressing a news conference in Abuja yesterday, Ms Adeosun said an audit had been carried out on the agencies in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, FRA, 2007.

Adeosun said that a recovery committee, headed by the Accountant General of the Federation had been set up to recover the money from the agencies. She noted, however, that some of the agencies had returned various sums, and that N640 million had been received from the Nigeria Shippers Council, NSC.

“The total independent revenue generated between January and October, 2016 was N272.03 billion but there is a projected increase to N811.03
billion as we recover amounts owed,’’ she said.

The affected agencies include: The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA; Corporate A}airs Commission, CAC; Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA; Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN; National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN; Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC; West African Examination Council, WAEC; Joint Administrations and Matriculation Board, JAMB; and National Hospital, Abuja.

Also affected are Industrial Training Fund, ITF; National Broadcasting Commission, NBC; Nigeria Television Authority, NTA; Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS; Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN; National Teachers Institute, NTI; University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, LUTH; University College Hospital, Ibadan, UCH; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos; University of Lagos, UNILAG; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN; Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, ABTH; National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC; National Centre for Women Development, NCWD; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, ABU; Nigeria Shipper’s Council, NSC; University of Benin, UNIBEN; University of Ilorin, UNILORIN; University of Ibadan, UI;  and Bayero University, Kano, BUK.

Adeosun said further that a circular on the inclusion of 92 additional corporations, agencies and government-owned companies to the schedule of the Act had also been issued. According to the minister, the exercise is an ongoing process and all agencies will eventually be audited.

Source: The Herald