Senate queries environment ministry over missing 55 vehicles

Senate Committee on Public Accounts, on Thursday, queried the Ministry of Environment over the alleged missing of 55 vehicles in the ministry.

The committee is probing the spendings of FG agencies from 2015 – 2018.

The query is based on a 2018 report of the Auditor General for the Federation, which was being considered by the committee.

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The query reads: “Audit observed that 55 vehicles were not presented for physical inspection.

“All efforts to inspect and confirm their existence proved abortive and the exact location of these vehicles could not be ascertained.

“We are aware that some officers take ministry vehicles away with them when going on transfer or retirement.

“The audit further observed that the motor vehicles logbooks had not been updated, making it difficult to track the movement of these vehicles and track their record of maintenance.

“It is also noted that some official vehicles carry private plate number and registered number.

“The above anomalies are because of failure on the part of the management to ensure proper record keeping due process in the Ministry.

“Government vehicles may be diverted for private use, unauthorized journey may be undertaken due to lack of adherence to internal control system put in place.

“No response was received from the Management of our report.”

The report recommended that the permanent secretary should account for the 55 vehicles not presented during the audit.

“He should also be sanctioned in accordance with provision of FR3129,” it added.

Ministry reacts

Responding, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Abel Olumuyiwa, said the vehicles were not presented to the Auditor General at the time the ministry was issued the query because the list, the register and other documents concerning the vehicles were not available circumstantially to aid the auditors’ verification.

Olumuyiwa said: “Presently the list of the vehicles are available for the auditors sighting and verification.

“I want to take this opportunity to invite our esteemed auditor and maybe the committee to set up a sub-committee to come and verify and inspect these vehicles.

“The comprehensive list of the vehicles are attached on page 50 of our submission and they are available for sighting.

“These are records that can be updated, but the vehicles are there even in state offices they are there.

“What I am saying on oath is that the vehicles are available for inspection.”