Reps ask EFCC, ICPC to invite 2 ex-Perm Secs over N3.2bn infraction

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Monday asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to invite two former Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministry of Labour, Williams Alo and Yerima Tafa over a N3, 201,583,662.65 financial infraction while in office.

The Committee equally decried the increasing disregard for the committee and the parliament by Ministries, Department and Agencies of government by refusing to honour invitations to respond to audit queries issued by the Auditor General for the Federation.

Chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun) who announced the resolution on Monday said Committee has written seven different letters to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to appear before the committee without any response and without giving any reason for not appearing.

He also said the Ministry also failed to provide the relevant documents needed to clear them of the 32 audit queries against them from the 2020 audit report.

Salam said although the Auditor General for the Federation made specific recommendations, the Committee decided to write the Ministry, giving them an opportunity to defend themselves, adding that the Minister has consistently refused to honour the invitation.

He several other MDAs have cultivated the habit of ignoring parliamentary summon to account for public fund appropriated by the National Assembly and given to them, adding the the Nigerian public have in recent time call out the National Assembly for not carrying out adequate oversight.

According to him, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts had to issue a statement against some MDAs for their refusal to appear, adding that the House Committee will not continue to waste its time inviting agencies that will not respect the constitutional authority of the National Assembly.

He said Williams Alo and Yerima Tafa who were the Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry when the infraction took place should be held liable for the infraction since they were the accounting officers in the ministry.

The committee also gave the current Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Saliu Usman 72 hours to appear before them to respond to the seven audit queries from the Auditor General for the 2021 financial year or risk having the committee upholding the recommendations of the Auditor General.

The Permanent Secretaries in the Federal ministries of Transportation, Women Affairs and Humanitarian Services, Adeleye Ayodeji, Mariam Keshero and Yakubu Adams Kofamata respectively are also to appear before the committee within the next 72 hours.

Salam said the committee was making every effort to address the queries contained in both the 2020 and 2021 audit report before the 2022 report is submitted in April.

Speaking at the investigative hearing, a member of the committee, Emeka Chinedu expressed concern about the development, while hinging his concern on the fact that Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is a former member of the House who knows the workings and powers of the parliament.