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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating non-remittance to the National Housing Fund (NHF) and utilisation of funds from 2011 to date has expressed displeasure over the absence of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), Folashidun Shonubi, at its investigative hearing, yesterday.
Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Dachung Bagos, while speaking at resumption of the panel, also frowned at the absence of the chief executive efficers of commercial banks at the investigative hearing. Bagos said the bank chiefs were in the habit of pretending to travel out of the country whenever they were invited to give evidence in parliament.
This is as the panel sent back the director, Banking Supervision, Mr. Haruna Mustapha, in the CBN, who represented the governor. The committee also refused to take any evidence from the director of IPPIS, Mr. Emma Deko who represented the AGF, representatives of the gateway payment for the NHF: Remita, e-Tranzact and NIP. They were asked to go and return with their CEOs next week.
Bagos, while insisting Madein and Shonubi must appear in person before the panel next week, warned that any bank CEO that fails to honour its summons risk being subpoenaed.
He noted that as much as the panel is committed to giving every stakeholder fair hearing, it would not hesitate to invoke the law against anyone that attempts to undermine its authority or sabotage the probe.
“Today, we invited all the banks but only UBA, Zenith, Heritage and Sterling Bank. We’ll not take it lightly with the absentee banks any longer. They must appear next Thursday. We will not tolerate a situation whereby CEOs shy away from coming up to give evidence. Each time all the CEOs claim they have travelled abroad.
“We insist on having the Accountant General of the Federation and the acting governor of the CBN appear before this Honourable committee unfailingly next Thursday at 11am. We are not going to entertain their representatives.”
Though the panel accepted the presentation from UBA, which was presented by Mr. Eke Ogba, regional head, that of Heritage Bank, presented by regional head, Abuja, Mr. Oniko Daniel and Zenith Bank presented by DGM Carl Akwarandu, were asked to further submit details of their investments in the NHF when their CEOs appear next week.
