The House of Representatives has ordered the appearance of signatories to the account of the auditor general office to ascertain the utilisation of the sum of 125 million dollars borrowed from the world bank account.
The House Committee on Public Accounts summoned the Director General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze to explain the loans and grant sum of 125 million dollars it collected from the world Bank, an amount that was allegedly not captured in 2018 appropriation act.
Chairman House committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Oluwole Oke who gave the order directed the appearance of all collaborating Ministries Departments and Agencies to the Committee next week.
The Committee had quizzed the Director, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze who appeared before it to explain whether the office has access to the 36.1 million dollars through loans and grants in four year.
According to Mr. Akabueze, 200,000 dollars was disbursed to the Office of the Auditor General of Federation (OAUGF).
He said the document presented before the committee shows the list of beneficiaries of the loan of which OAUGF is among adding that 125 million dollars loan is the total sum of loans received from the world Bank.
Question was also raised as to whether the world bank loans and grants were meant for paying salaries or capacity building but Mr. Akabueze further explained that the sum of 36.1 million dollars is the loan component while the 1.2 million dollars is for grant. He said the loan can also be spent on capital projects.
Mr. Akabueze explained that the world Bank loans and grants is captured in the 2018 appropriations Act and that the Accountant General of the Federation is also aware of this world Bank loan.
The committee chairman urged the Clerk to write to the auditor general office to furnish it with relevant documents concerning the world Bank loan.
Director of Fund, Accountant General Office, Sabo Mohammed in his response stated that the office did not receive document apart from the Committee’s letter requesting details of the 36.1 million dollars world Bank loan given to the auditor general office.
Mohammed therefore pleaded with the committee to give more time to enable the office avail the required documents.
“We’ll like the Director General, Budget Office to clarify too if the loan has been utilised. As far as we’re concerned this money has not been accessed”, he said.
The Committee therefore resolved that the Accountant General appear before it on Monday to provide all relevant documents and explain issues surrounding the utilisation of the world Bank loan.
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