House Demands N100b Covid Funds Report In 72hrs

By Oduyemi Odumade

The House of Representatives has given the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, a 72-hour ultimatum to submit a detailed report on the utilization of N100 billion COVID-19 intervention funds released by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to Ministries, Departments and Agencies between 2020 and 2022.

Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam said the ultimatum followed the failure of the AGF to comply with the resolution of the committee to submit the report on October 27, 2023.

He said, “A letter was written to the Accountant General to furnish the committee with details of all releases pursuant to the provisions of the Appropriation Act as well as other interventions captured by the release from Central Bank of Nigeria to different Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government.

“That letter, I was duly informed showed that submission is expected on or before October 27, 2023. As we speak, that input has not been received from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

“That is a very very important document that will guide our proceedings on the investigation the house mandated us to carry out within a timeframe”.

The House had, after a resolution on a motion, mandated the committee to investigate “expenditure incurred under COVID-19 interventions especially in 2020 and up to 2022.”

Salam therefore directed the AGF to transmit the report before close of work on Friday, November 3, 2023.

Edited By Grace Namiji