Reps clear NIPOST of N132m missing fund

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has cleared the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) of two queries involving N132 million unaccounted between 2009 and 2010.

The queries were raised by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation in its report for the year ended 2010.

The queries comprised of N106.069 million debits in cash-book, but not included in NIPOST’s bank details as well as another N26.736m bank credits but not contained in cash-book.

Acting on the queries, the committee chaired by Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) constituted a subcommittee in November, 2016 to examine the queries.

The subcommittee, headed by Abdurahman Shuaibu (APC, Adamawa), in its report said all the issues were cleared through its findings, and that NIPOST should be exonerated in the queries.

The subcommittee said it verified all relevant documents regarding the queries and confirmed that both NIPOST’s cashbook and accounts have been adjusted to reflect the amount.

The committee therefore adopted the report of the subcommittee. However, the lawmakers fixed September 22 for NIPOST to re-appear before it to respond to other queries raised.

Meanwhile, the committee also insisted that the permanent secretary in the ministry of Niger Delta (yet to be appointed), must appear before it on September 22 to respond to some queries.

The decision was taken after the committee rejected the representative of the ministry, who is also the director of finance, Moses Okpo, overseeing the duties of the permsec.

Members of the panel had asked if the director could take decisions of a permsec, but Mr Okpo said he had limits as critical decisions were usually referred to the minister. They therefore asked him to leave and return on the appointed date with the permsec.