Missing N59.6bn: Reps summons AGF, CBN, Budget office
By Adetokunbo Fakeye
THE House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts today summoned the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Mr Jonah Otunla, the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN and the Budget office to explain why the sum of N59.6billion subsidy money meant for Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC got missing as alleged.
NNPC had informed the probing committee that it did not receive the said money as alleged by the Budget office and Accountant General’s office and that all attempts to make the budget office and AGF do a formal letter stating that the said N59.6bn was not cash backed failed.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola on hearing that at the sitting said,”what you are telling this committee is that at no point in time you received any money and that it was not cash backed.
“You will do us a formal letter explaining to the committee that at no time you received N59.6bn but Deliotte Accounting firm in its report claimed the fund was disbursed.
“Towards this direction, this committee hereby summons the CBN, AGF and Budget office to explain why such sum of money was disbursed without any documentary evidence.
“NNPC for now cannot be indicted until otherwise proven when AGF and Budget office come out with evidence that the money was disbursed and cash backed. ”
The chairman explained further that “once it is affirmed that the disbursement was not cash backed NNPC will be left off the hook. ”
The NNPC, AGF,CBN and Budget are expected to appear before the committee on April 1.