The Federal Government is embroiled in a new scandal involving various ministries, departments and agencies who were recently fingered in extra-budgetary spending of 2.27 trillion naira between 2004-2012. This brings to the fore the deep rot in the nation's civil service.
At least 22 ministries, departments and agencies have been accused of misappropriating public funds up to the tune of 2.27 trillion outside the approved budget over an 8-year period spanning 2004-2012. This is the report of an investigative public hearing conducted at the instance of requests made by the Auditor-General of the Federation for the MDAs by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts.
The committee, in its report described the spending as "illegal" and "duplication" as the 8-year spending were "duplications, wastes and clear mismanagement of the nation’s resources...". As a result, every MDA “should be investigated and those found culpable should be sanctioned.”
Spending outside the budget is a violation of Section 81 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which provides that the President shall lay out the estimates of the financial year and by which government spending shall be guided by.
Speaking on the outcome of the investigation in Abuja, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Solomon Adeola declared that "we have to get to the bottom of this pattern of expenditure by the MDAs; the committee will summon all the documents on these spending,” he stated. Following the startling discovery, Adeola said the illegality should be investigated to forestall future misapplication of funds.
It remains to be seen what becomes of the Report; whether it will go the way of earlier reports that were binned due to the personalities involved or a tangible conclusion will be its lot.