- FMC Owerri made extra-budgetary payments of Personnel and also failed to remit 25% of its IGR
- This act is a violation of Financial regulation and also attracts EFCC Investigation.
- Expert wants more of the Government’s deliberate actions on financial mismanagement
Dr Kingsley Achibu, Director for FMC Owerri, risks EFCC arraignment for gross misconduct with government revenue. Continuing revelations from the Auditor-General’s 2018 audits show how Federal Medical Centre Owerri contravened financial regulations, mismanaging over ₦551 million.
Besides overpaying staff to the tune of ₦542 million in 2016, the Centre further opted to keep ₦8.5 million of its 25% contribution to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2017.
While outrageous, these discrepancies have become commonplace. Earlier, Dataphyte revealed similar indiscretions from Federal Medical Centre Yola and Katsina. The former awarded a contract to the Medical Director’s Secretary; the latter engaged in ghost transactions worth ₦88 million. Following Dataphyte’s report, however, FMC Yola adjusted details on the Open Treasury Portal.
Nonetheless, instances of fiscal irresponsibility continue to crop up, past and present. And as always, the everyday man bears the brunt of this continuing misconduct– either through amenities unprovided or opportunities lost. On the other hand, Nigeria generates some of its revenue by MDAs (Ministries Departments Agencies) and GOEs (Government Owned Enterprises) remitting a quarter of its revenue. Failure to do this not only impedes the nation’s financial buoyancy but hinders development.
Extra-budgetary payments hint at the likelihood of Ghost workers.
On the subject of financial irresponsibility, FMC Owerri’s extra-budgetary sum of ₦542 million (exactly ₦542,877,312.77) for personnel hints at the likelihood of “ghost workers”. An infringement several experts have decried in government parastatals. Former Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola is facing allegations for paying a sum of ₦4.6 billion into some private accounts not belonging to any Ministry of Works and Housing staff members.
Dr Kingsley faces a pink slip or EFCC prosecution.
While ghost workers’ existence remains uncertain, FMC Owerri withholding ₦8.5 million of its IGR is. An action which is in clear violation of the Federal Government’s directive. Not to mention it contravenes Section 236 of Financial Regulation.
“Revenue paid for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of MDAs shall be transferred to GRF (Government Revenue Fund) on or before the 15th of the month of collection of the Revenue the Federal Medical Centre hoarded a sum ₦8.5 million (exactly ₦8,519,506.75) from the federal account.”Section 236 of the Government’s Financial Regulations
Furthermore, section 3112 and 3110 of the Financial Regulation outlines the sanctions awaiting Dr Kingsley for contravening legislation, on two accounts. First was issuing extra-budgetary payment to personnel, and non-remittance of 25% of the Centre’s IGR. The FR 3110 affirms that “ a public officer who authorises the payment of the public fund to ghost workers and or knowingly processes should be charged for gross misconduct, removed from the schedule and reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for prosecution.”
More so, the FR3112 (ii) also stipulates that:
“Where an officer fails to give a satisfactory reply to an audit query within seven days for his failure to account for government revenue, such officer shall be surcharged for the full amount involved. And such officers handed over to the either the Economic Financial Commission (EFCC) or Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).”Financial Regulations 3112 (ii)
“We need to blame the National Assembly”- Expert.
In all, the continuing instances of financial misappropriation point back to the National Assembly (NASS), per Kolawole Oluwadare. The Deputy Director for the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) without mincing words, arraigned NASS for MDAs financial irresponsibility. He prefaced his point on NASS’ continued passing of erring MDAs budgetary allocations.
Mr Kolawale also condemned the weak law enforcement on financial misappropriation by state actors. Without sanctions, the problems continue.
“We need to blame the National Assembly, which continues to sign these MDAs allocation and the President. It is not enough to expose these, but proper sanctioning of the erring agencies has to be put in place.”Kolawale Oluwadare | Deputy Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project