How Min of Agric, Customs, NCSL Allegedly Spent Billions Of Revenue- SERAP

Social-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has raised alarm that while the Federal government continues to go on borrowing spree that the debt servicing has surpassed revenue, ministries and agencies of the government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration loot billions of naira that ought to be remitted to the purse of the government.

 

Newsonline reports that SERAP a nonprofit, nonpartisan, legal and advocacy organization devoted to promoting transparency, accountability, and respect for socio-economic rights in Nigeria said the alleged money was been demanded by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

 

According to data from SERAP, a combined non-remitted revenue and misappropriation of government fund by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NCSL), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) worth over N100 billion (One hundred billion naira).

 

SERAP said the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NCSL) in 2019 reportedly paid N250,099,250.00.00 (over Two hundred and fifty billion) for store items that were never delivered. Also in 2019, NCSL reportedly failed to remit N95,641,112.00 (over Ninety-five million) in taxes to the treasury.

 

On the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, SERAP said in 2019, the government agency reportedly failed to remit N743,025,660.23 ( over Seven hundred million) and US$71,223.23 (Seventy-one thousand United States Dollars) internally generated revenue to the treasury.

 

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, also in 2019 reportedly failed to remit N2,984,887,250.00 (Two billion) internally generated revenue to the treasury.

 

The non-remittance was more pronounced in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development according to SERAP data.

 

In 2019 the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, reportedly ‘misapplied’ N375,785,893.75 ( over Three hundred and seventy-five million) from RUGA funds to pay for ‘the transportation and other expenses in support of victims of Armed Banditry in Zamfara State and to visit the State Governor.’

 

In the same 2019, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abuja reportedly spent N3,433,984,692.66 (over Three billion) from the Ruga Fund, despite Presidential Directive to suspend the Ruga Scheme.

 

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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the same year 2019 reportedly claimed it spent N7,737,208,135.18 (Seven billion) on a project that was ‘previously fully funded.

 

Not done the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the year under review, 2019 reportedly incurred extra-budgetary contractual liability of N48,425,543,895.72 (forty-eight billion).

 

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, also in 2019 reportedly paid N700,179,314.37 (Seven hundred million) to ‘persons other than the direct beneficiaries of such payment.’

 

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in 2019, again reportedly ‘overpaid’ N24,799,539.17 (Twenty-four million) to contractors.

 

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2019, reportedly failed to remit N89,100,573.53 (Eighty-nine million) in taxes to the authorities.

 

According to SERAP, the above non-remittance and misappropriation of government funds were data from the Auditor General’s office.

 

SERAP added that the Auditor General believed the funds were pocketed by the different ministries and agencies in the year under review and called on the Federal government to recover the funds.