Senate probes Budget Office over oral approval by DG to pay N19 bn to four MDAs

.Paid without approval of Finance Minister 

Adekunle Adesuji

Senate on Tuesday began investigation of budget Office over illegal payment of N19 billion to four agencies .

However, Budget Office failed to appear before the Senate Public Accounts Committee on the payment of N19 billion to four agencies through verbal directive by the Director General of Budget Office in 2015.

The Senate Panel hinged the Investigation of the budget office on the 2016 Auditor General’s Report which is currently considered by Committee Chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide.

The budget Office was supposed number one on the list of the agencies expected to respond to the Auditor General’s query, but failed to appear before the Lawmakers.

The budget in a written response to the query Auditor General’s Query , budget Office said, ” The details of the MDAs under reference have not been provided to enable us respond appropriately.

The Auditor In the 2016 report said, that ” Four MDAs  were paid the sum of N19 billion from the service wide vote without the approval of the Honorable  Minister of Finance

“Some of the payment were made on a purported verbal directive from the Director General.

” This Act is against Financial Regulations 301 and 302  which state that ” recurrent expenditure is paid from CRF and no expenditure  may be incured except on the authority of a warrant issued by the Minister of Finance.

“The Director General should provide evidence of approval from the Ministry of Finance for these expenditures or recover the sum of N19 billion from benefiting MDAs.”