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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has queried the Bureau for Public Enterprises ( BPE) over the expenditure of N10 billion on two companies owned by the Nigerian Postal Service.
Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (PAC), Bamidele Salam, who raised the query at an investigative hearing, said it shocking that N10 billion was spent on the two companies, which folded up after one year.
The two companies, NIPOST Transport and Logistics Limited and NIPOST Property, were said to have taken off
in May 2023 and folded up in May 2024, reportedly through a Presidential directive.
Consequently, Salam, who expressed displeasure over the development, directed the Director General of BPE, Ayodeji Gbeleyi to appear, in person, before the committee tomorrow with all relevant documents relating to the transaction.
Earlier, the BPE Head of Finance and Accounts, Imam Rilwan,who stood in for the DG had told lawmakers that while N10 billion was given to the two defunct companies for their take off. He added that
N423 million was spent by the BPE in registration the two companies andother activities for their eventual take off.
According to him, all property belonging to the two companies have been officially handed over to NIPOST management, after they folded up.
Similarly, the Committee has directed the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and the Investment and Security Tribunal to pay the sum of N3. 457 billion and N6. 327 million naira respectively, into at the Consolidated Revenue Fund within so days and tender evidence of payment to it.
Salam, who gave the directive at an investigative hearing by the panel, said JAMB’s refusal to reply to letters from t Fiscal Responsibility Commission(FRC)
informing it of its liabilities was an admittance of indebtedness to the federal government.
The Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, FRC, Bello Aliyu Gulmare had told lawmakers committee that JAMB was defaulting in its remittances to the government coffers.
Gulmare explained that the Commission wrote to the examination body in April and August, informing it of its indebtedness, but did not receive any response to the letters.
Also, the panel directed the Investment and Security Tribunal to immediately recover and pay into government account taxes not deducted from five contractors and the accompanying fine among other liabilities standing against them within 30 days.
