Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, yesterday accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), of paying N7.6 billion to Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) without recourse to his office.
Idris stated this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee probing the operations of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
He however, denied providing limited information to federal auditors, who wanted to audit the TSA.
The AGF said, he had directed all departmental, sectional and unut heads to give unrestrained access to the auditors. Idris, who was responding to questions on the payment N7.6 billion to MDAs from the TSA, as contained in a report from the office Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF), noted that the payment was done illegally.
The audit report had queried why the payment, which was made through the CBN T.24 platform, did not pass through Remita.
Idris said: “The apex bank used its powers under the rules to make the payment” noting that” the CBN was (later)asked to reverse it due to lack of due process”.
Regardless, the CBN’s Director of Banking and Payment System, Abubakar Kure, explained that there was contention over a certain N25 billion charged for TSA collections from MDAs. He said after the parliament invited stakeholders on the issue, it was resolved that a certain certain percentage of what had been charged should be returned to the MDAs.
