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Unaudited Accounts: Reps query NNPC, CBN, others

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The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has submitted its report on ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government that failed to render their audited accounts within eight years.

Prominent among those indicted in the report laid at the plenary on Thursday by the committee’s Chairman, Oluwole Oke, were the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (now Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited), Niger Delta Development Commission, and Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

It was titled, ‘Report of the Committee on Public Accounts on the Deliberate and Reckless Refusal by Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government to Render Audited Accounts for the periods 2014–2018 and 2019–2021 to the Auditor–General for the Federation and Approve the Recommendations Therein.’

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In the report, the committee recommended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission prosecution, warrant of arrest issued against chief accounting officers, and sanctioning of various MDAs.

The committee urged the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; the Accountant General of the Federation; and Auditor-General for the Federation to jointly issue a government circular specifying strong sanctions against agencies that violated Financial Regulation 3010 for the 2019 -2021 financial year.

The committee also stated that “many agencies often violate the Appropriation Act by deliberately subjecting their internally generated revenue to some committees (of the National Assembly) directly overseeing them for approval and expend same illegally without Mr President’s assent.”

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In its findings in the first batch of investigations covering 2014 to 2018, the committee said some MDAs complained that the procurement process of hiring their external auditors was cumbersome, which was the reason for operating during these periods without being audited.

The committee said it also discovered gross negligence by directors of finance and accounts/bursars in some MDAs in ensuring the accounts were audited duly, including delay in the appointment of governing councils/boards and in approving/signing audited accounts by the governing councils/boards.

According to the committee, some incumbent chief accounting officers refused to sign audited accounts prepared by former CEOs, while some MDAs submitted unsigned accounts. Also, some letters evidencing remittance of audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation had either faint or no acknowledgement of receipt stamp.

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The committee, therefore, recommended that all MDAs should be directed to submit their audited account on or before May 31 every year.

It also recommended that a board or governing council meeting should be convened to sign audited accounts immediately after it was submitted by external auditors, noting that in the absence of a board or governing council, the supervising body of the MDAs should sign audited accounts to avoid delay in rendition to the Office of the Auditor-General.

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NCBN, OISD Seek Strategic Partnership with ASR Africa

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NCBN, OISD Seek Strategic Partnership with ASR Africa

By Matthew Eloyi

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN), Mr. Jamilu Yusuf, has led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), Dr. Ubon Udoh, to explore areas of mutual collaboration.

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Mr. Yusuf, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Organisation for Innovation and Sustainable Development (OISD), commended ASR Africa for its transformational impact in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, social development, and institutional strengthening across Nigeria and the African continent.

He highlighted NCBN’s commitment to promoting institutions and initiatives that drive sustainable development, noting that a strategic communication partnership with ASR Africa would help amplify the organisation’s achievements and further inspire positive change.

Mr. Yusuf also proposed a collaboration between OISD and ASR Africa in areas including education, digital literacy, and economic empowerment, aligning with both organisations’ shared vision for inclusive growth and capacity building.

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In response, Dr. Udoh welcomed the partnership proposals, expressing ASR Africa’s readiness to collaborate with NCBN on strategic communication initiatives. He also affirmed the initiative’s interest in working with OISD on education empowerment programmes.

Dr. Udoh further used the occasion to congratulate the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on his recent election as the Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), describing the achievement as a testament to Nigeria’s growing influence in global customs administration.

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Akpabio Hails Okpebholo’s Supreme Court Victory, Calls It Triumph of Democracy

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Akpabio

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo on his affirmation as the duly elected governor of Edo State by the Supreme Court, describing the ruling as a “triumph of democracy and the will of the people.”

Akpabio, in a statement personally signed and released on Friday in Abuja, applauded the apex court’s decision, saying it validated the mandate freely given to Okpebholo in the September 2024 gubernatorial election.

“What the apex court in the land has done is to affirm the will and wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people of Edo State. It shows that the election was transparent, free and fair,” Akpabio stated.

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He added that, “The declaration by the Supreme Court in favour of Sen. Okpebholo against Mr Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has proven that elections are won at the ballot and by people who have identified with the grassroots.”

The Senate President said the judgment reaffirms the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.

“This judgment has again reaffirmed the fact that democracy is at play and the people of Edo have wholeheartedly embraced the All Progressives Congress (APC) and popularly elected their preferred choice of Senator Okpebholo as their governor,” he said.

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According to Akpabio, the ruling not only confirms Okpebholo’s mandate but also “paves the way for him to continue delivering exceptional service to the good people of Edo.”

He praised the governor’s performance in the past seven months, expressing confidence in his capacity to deliver more during his four-year tenure.

“My distinguished brother, His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo, on behalf of my family and constituents, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I extend my warmest congratulations to you and the wonderful people of Edo on this landmark victory at the Supreme Court.

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“I wish you success and I assure you of the Senate’s support and collaboration in ensuring the state’s progress and development.

“Congratulations once again, Gov Okpebholo. I look forward to a robust working relationship with you,” Akpabio added.

In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Mohammed Garba dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, for lacking merit.

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The apex court upheld the earlier rulings of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, both of which declared Okpebholo of the APC as the valid winner of the election.

The court ruled that the appellant failed to provide credible and admissible evidence to support claims of electoral malpractice, including over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

It further held that the PDP candidate failed to call relevant witnesses to back up some of the evidence he tendered, particularly those involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

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Some of the documents presented, the court noted, were simply “dumped” on the tribunal without demonstrating the alleged irregularities in 432 of the 4,519 polling units across the state.

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NELFUND Begins Upkeep Payments to Over 3,600 Students After Bank Detail Update

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NELFUND Disburses Over N20bn in Student Loans, Assures Transparency

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has commenced the disbursement of upkeep payments to students who successfully updated their bank account details from digital wallets to commercial bank accounts.

This was announced in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the Director of Strategic Communications of the Fund, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.

Oluwatuyi described the development as a significant breakthrough in addressing earlier disbursement delays.

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“Over 3,600 students, who previously registered with digital-only banking platforms, have now successfully received their backlog of upkeep payments after updating their details to conventional commercial bank accounts on the NELFUND portal,” she stated.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all affected students during this period. Your resilience and cooperation have made this progress possible,” she added.

The NELFUND spokesperson advised students who have yet to update their bank details to raise a support ticket via the official NELFUND portal to request access for the update.

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She further urged affected students to report through the IT office of their respective institutions, which would compile and forward all related cases to NELFUND for prompt resolution.

“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that no eligible student is left behind. This resolution process is part of our broader effort to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and student-centered delivery of our support services,” she said.

Oluwatuyi encouraged students to continue engaging only through official NELFUND channels and to assist their peers who may need help navigating the update process.

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She also provided contact options for inquiries, stating that the fund can be reached via email at info@nelf.gov.ng or through its official social media handles: X (formerly Twitter) @nelfund; Instagram @nelfund; and Facebook & LinkedIn: Nigerian Education Loan Fund – NELFUND.

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