The House of Representatives on Monday gave the immediate past Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, Mr Richard Esin,a 48 hours ultimatum within which to render the Accounts of the Bank or face severe sanction
The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Wole Oke gave the directive in Abuja at the resumed hearing into refusal of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of government to render their Accounts to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation from 2014 to date when the Management of the Bank appeared before it along with the former MD.
Also, the Committee summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Godwin Emeifele, the Director of Finance and Administration, of the Bank over the development, saying that it was disheartening the ways and manners public officers were playing with tax player’s money put in their care by not rendering proper Accounts as an when due.
The management of the Bank represented by Mr Abiye Yagboyaju had told the Committee that the CBN queried some infractions in the audited accounts submitted to it twice and that necessary corrections had be effected and was only waiting for the approval of the board of the Bank before submitting same to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation as required by the law of the land
In a swift reaction to this, the Committee described it as unacceptable and sought for the opinion of the representative of the Auditor General of the Federation on the implication of the action of the former FMBN boss and its management who described it as a gross violation of the law which should be seriously sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to other MDAs
The former FMBN boss in his own defence claimed that he met the situation on ground o assumption of office which the Committee also dismissed as unacceptable and directed him to do all things possible within the next 48 hours to get the Accounts ready, transmit to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the proof of same to be brought before the Committee.
The Committee had place the Bank on status enquiry two weeks ago when its management first appeared before it following the various infractions noticed in the audited accounts submitted to it.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Oke who vowed that the Committee would pursue the matter to a logical conclusion said that the Committee would also report the ugly development in the MDAs to President Mohamodu Buhari through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and the Chief of Staff to the President so as guide the government while considering people for future appointments to public office.
