FRAUD IN THE LEGISLATIVE ARM- THESE ARE THE LISTS OF MONIES ALLEGEDLY MISAPPROPRIATED BY NIGERIA LAWMAKERS- SERAP
As the Nigerian government continues to borrow money from the international communities to fund its budgets, allegations have emerged that a staggering percentage is being looted and misappropriated by the Nigerian lawmakers, further plunging the economy into a dark abyss.
According to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), the office of the Auditor-General is currently requesting that misappropriated funds amounting to billions of naira be returned to the National Treasury.
In a series of Tweets, SERAP, an NGO promoting transparency and respect for socio-economic rights, revealed some of the alleged misappropriated funds by both the National Assembly and the House of Representatives.
Below are some of the allegations of corrupt and sharp practices by Nigerian lawmakers:
"The House of Representatives reportedly deducted N821,564,296.48 as Pay as You Earn (PAYE) from staff salaries and claimed to have remitted the money to the authorities. But the House failed to produce any receipts to this effect, contrary to Financial Regulation 235."
"The Senate of Nigeria also reportedly spent N109,007,179.73 from the Capital Expenditure vote, but without any supporting documents. The Auditor-General wants the money returned to the treasury."
"The National Assembly, Abuja, also reportedly paid N747,286,680.00 as "personal advances" to staff between February and December, 2016 for various procurements and services, but failed to retire the money. The Auditor-General wants the Clerk to recover the money."
"The National Assembly, Abuja, also reportedly paid N126,264,320.00 as cash advances to 11 staff between March and Dec, 2016 for procurement of goods and services but failed to retire the money, contrary to Financial Regulation 1405. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered."
"The National Assembly, Abuja, also reportedly spent N625,000,000.00 to support the work of the Constitution Review Committee between March and June 2016, but without any receipts/documents, contrary to Financial Regulation 603. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered."
The National Assembly, Abuja, also reportedly paid N66,713,355.08 as staff salaries between January--June, 2016 but the payees in the Cashbook did not correspond with those in the Bank Statement, contrary to Financial Regulation 417. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered.
"The National Assembly, Abuja, also reportedly claimed to have deducted N56,985,568.55 as Withholding Tax and Value Added Tax from contract payments but failed to remit the money to the authorities. The Clerk ignored the Auditor-General's letter dated 24th Jan, 2017 on the issue."
The Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, reportedly paid N1,000,000.00 to a consultancy firm in August, 2016 as part payment of Professional fees of N2,000,000.00 for representing the AGF in suit No. FHC/PH/CS/413/13. But the payment was based on an unsigned letter of offer.
The National Assembly Service Commission reportedly paid N9,371,848.13 as salaries and allowances to some Legislative Aides for work not done. It was discovered that the dates of appointments of the Aides differ from the dates of assumption of duty by several months.
The National Assembly Service Commission's Legislative Aides Section earned N12,274,587.77 as interests on Bank accounts between January and December 2016 but the Section failed to pay the money into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, contrary to Financial Regulation 222.
The National Assembly Service Commission reportedly spent N109,995,400.00 "to train 34 officers" in Dubai in 2016. N127,629,600.00 was spent as allowances for participants. N9,975,000.00 was paid as course fees but a consultant already got N4,987,500.00 for the same course fees.
"The National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja, reportedly paid N10,927,768.80 as salaries to 7 staff redeployed from @nassnigeria But the Institute failed to disclose beneficiaries' details, such as Salary Grade Levels, Steps, Status and Rank".
"The National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja reportedly bought 11 cars for N375,867,000.00 for some officers in April 2016. But the Institute also paid N36,610,000.00 in September 2016 for the same contract without approval. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered."
"The House of Representatives, Abuja, reportedly paid N254,059,513.70 as cash advances to some officers but failed to retire the money, contrary to Financial Regulations 1404 and 1405. The Auditor-General wants the Clerk of the National Assembly to recover the money. @nassnigeria."
The National Assembly, Abuja, reportedly spent N417,312,538.79 to "settle some contractors" but failed to show any supporting documents for the spending, contrary to Financial Regulation 603. The Auditor-General wants the Clerk of the National Assembly to recover the money.
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