The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has given a 60-day ultimatum to the minister of finance and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to automate the revenue collection systems of Nigeria’s foreign missions.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam gave the directive at the sitting of the Committee on the status of Automation of Foreign Currency Collection in Nigeria’s foreign missions on Tuesday.
The directive followed submissions by the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat and the company handling the automation contract before the committee.
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In her submission, the Accountant General of the Federation, informed the committee that, a company, Files Solutions Limited was awarded the contract for the automation of foreign currency collection at Nigeria’s foreign missions worldwide at the contract sum of N83.6 million on April 28th, 2021 for Five (5) years in addition to the commission of 1% to 5% depending on the amount the company collects.
According to her, N72.2 million representing 90 per cent has been paid to the contractor.
The Accountant General further informed that the terms of the contract are to ensure that the collection of revenue from all Nigerian foreign missions is online in real-time, as well as a multi-currency conversion web portal and multi-language web portal.
She said, “The Automation of Foreign Currency Collection portal was launched on May 25th, 2023, by the immediate past Minister of Finance but was never put into use as of 5th June, 2024.
“Our office is in the process of obtaining approval from the Ministry of Finance to deploy the software which has been tested. Discussion is ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide a list of Foreign missions for pilot purposes”.
On his part, the Managing Director of File Solutions Limited, Prince Nekan Olateru said that the company has concluded all the processes on the technology in the last three years.
However, a member of the Committee, Rep. Timehin Adelegbe noted that there is a glaring lack of transparency in the foreign revenue collection which he said the automation of foreign currency collection will correct.
Another member of the Committee, Rep. Sunday Umeha moved a motion that the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Accountant General and others involved in the contract award for Automation should as a matter of urgency commence the immediate collection of revenue, using the automated platform within 60 days.
The committee expressed displeasure over the negligence of the Ministry of Finance, Accountant General, and others over having the technology that will improve the country’s revenue.
The committee therefore adopted the motion and ordered that the automation of foreign currency collection and Nigeria’s foreign missions revenue using the automated platform commence within 60 days without an option of extension.
It also ordered the Accountant General to submit records of the gross revenue generated for all foreign missions in the last 5 years.
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