The Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, has been queried by the Auditor-General for the Federation, Mr. Anthony Ayine, over his failure to disclose details of N57.62bn Federal Government grants and contributions given in 2017.

The amount was given by the Federal Government as grants and contribution to domestic and foreign governments, public and private owned companies, academic institutions and internationals agencies.

Ayine in his audit report on the account of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government explained that the breakdown and details of the grants and contributions were not presented to his office for audit.

This, he noted, contravened the provisions of International Public Sector Accounting Standards 24 which deals with presentation of budget information in financial statements.

A copy of the report, which had already been submitted to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly was made available to our correspondent in Abuja.

A number of major weaknesses and lapses in the management of public funds and resources were identified across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies during the annual audit.

The findings range from irregular expenditures to failure to surrender surplus revenues to the Treasury, all running into billions of naira.

Also notable was the continuing failures in the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards.

Overall, the findings were indicative of significant weaknesses in expenditure control, accounting, financial reporting and in the completeness and accuracy of the consolidated financial statements.

Specifically, Ayine said non-disclosure of details of Federal Government grants and contributions would cast doubt on the authenticity and actual usage of such grants and contributions.

He specifically noted that incomplete disclosure of budgeted figures might result in extra-budgetary expenditures.

Ayine in the report stated that while the Accountant General was requested to disclose beneficiaries of grants and contributions for the 2017 year fiscal period, he responded that the list would be made available to the Auditor-General on March 18, 2019.

However, the Auditor General said that as of the time the audit report was prepared, there was no receipt of the list of beneficiaries from the Accountant-General.

The report read in part, “The budgetary provision for grants and contribution was not disclosed in the notes to the accounts.

“The sum of N57,624,929,461.05 was granted by the Federal Government of Nigeria as grants and contribution which represent transfers to domestic and foreign governments, public and private owned companies, academic institutions and internationals for 2017.

“Non-disclosure of details of Federal Government Grants and Contributions will cast doubt on the authenticity and actual usage of such grants and contributions.”

The Registrar, Institute of Finance and Control of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Eohoi, said the findings of the audit report should be investigated by the Public Account Committee of the National Assembly and necessary action taken against those that committed the infractions.

He said the collaboration of the Public Accounts Committee, the anti-corruption agencies, and non- governmental organisations was vital in holding government accountable in the management of the country’s resources.

He said, “We need sound financial control system in the public sector to be able to check many infractions.

“A financial system that lacks strong internal control mechanism would be prone to abuses and that is what we are seeing in the public sector.”

https://punchng.com/accountant-general-queried-over-non-disclosure-of-n57bn-fg-grants/
Mynd44
Lalasticlala

See yams....He did not want to disclose the barns where he kept those yams

The press is really feasting on Ayine’s second annual report. Sadly, the PAC of the National Assembly will simply collect money from all the indicted MDA’S and throw the report in the dustbin. We need a new audit law to strengthen the office of the Auditor-General if we are serious about fighting corruption. We will get nothing out of the annual audit exercise if we continue to put implementation of audit report in the hands of corrupt National Assembly members.

So Buhari govt donated over 57 billion Naira to imaginary causes in one year and has refused to disclose who they are ? Hian

I thought some people said there's no such thing as this in this present administration

The funds are much. Calls for an investigation

Oshigun... please come and tell me why i should not discuss Buhari or the Accountant general aswell as the Auditor general from the SW because they are not from the SE despite managing the nations funds.. and why I should only discuss SE individuals because he assumes am from the SE. ..

This sense sha.. it really did not go round..

The only grant I'm interested in right now is for the embassy to grant my Visa to get the hell up outta here

Corruption everywhere!

Buharin & kworuption...5&6!

If you try to eat alone,then you die alone.These two offices suppose to work harmoniously together but with what's happening simce last year,there is indeed love-lost between accountant and auditor-general office

I thought this administration was above corruption.

Citytrend:
I thought some people said there's no such thing as this in this present administration

Yes, there will always be a thief but it's now in the news because the government is querying someone. Way better than the PDP days

Rem22:
If you try to eat alone,then you die alone.These two offices suppose to work harmoniously together but with what's happening simce last year,there is indeed love-lost between accountant and auditor-general office

The Auditor is not in the business of eating either alone or jointly. The work of the Auditor-General is to carry out his audit assignment and give an unbiased opinion on the financial statement of the federal government and how public funds have been expended.