$36.1million loan: Finance Minister, Accountant General to appear before Reps

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has summoned the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to appear before it next week Tuesday over a $36.1 million world Bank loan to the Auditor General of the Federation’s office and another $1.5 million grant.

The Committee announced the summon when the Acting Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Aghughu Adolphus, appeared before it during its sitting on Tuesday.

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The Minister for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, is to appear before the lawmakers over the World Bank loan as the lead borrower.

On his part, the Accountant General, Mr. Ahmed Idris, is to appear for not only the $36.1 million loan, but also on queries from the Auditor General of the Federation.

The Committee wants the Minister to come with a copy of the terms and conditions of the loan as well as the agreement

Adolphus had informed the committee that he was not privy to the collection of the loan or the conditions attached to it.

According to him, the first drawdown out of the $1.5 million grant was $200,000 and has been in the Auditor General’s account untouched and inaccessible due to lack of funds to fulfil the condition of accessing the loan or the grant.

The Committee chairman, Rep. Wole Oke, said the condition of the loans and grants could lead to the breaking of procurement laws.

He said the Auditor General’s office had no proper agreement, no procurement plans, or budgetary provisions.

“The way and manner this loan has been structured you can’t get it.

“The executive should give you the money you’re entitled to work,” he said.

Members of the committee were surprised that one of the conditions for the loan was the auditing of all MDAs, while the main reason for the loan was to allow the Auditor Generals office to audit the MDAs.