By Oluwakemi kindness
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to submit details of unremitted operating surplus and other revenues allegedly owed to the Federal Government by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other government agencies.
The directive on Monday followed revelations by the OAGF that the CBN allegedly owes the Federal Government ₦5.3 trillion in unremitted operating surplus.
Director of Revenue and Investment at the OAGF, Makinde Mogaji, told the committee that despite efforts by the PAC to recover the funds, the apex bank had yet to make the payment.
He added that the committee also requested a breakdown of outstanding remittances from other agencies.
The committee also questioned the OAGF over alleged deductions from the accounts of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including the reported withdrawal of ₦15 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and funds belonging to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
Lawmakers said several agencies had complained that the deductions disrupted their statutory responsibilities.
Responding, Accountant-General of the Federation Shamseldeen Ogunjimi said the government sometimes temporarily accesses idle funds in MDA accounts to meet critical financial obligations.
He described the deductions as loans approved by the Minister of Finance and said the funds are refunded when the affected agencies require them.
Ogunjimi also disclosed that some agencies sought reversals after the introduction of the automatic operating surplus deduction system, while he accused the NNPCL of failing to fully cooperate with the revenue recovery process.
PAC Chairman Bamidele Salam, however, faulted the practice, insisting that statutory funds should not be diverted from agencies established to deliver critical public services.
He said withholding funds meant for institutions such as UBEC could undermine efforts to improve basic education and reduce the number of out-of-school children.
The committee directed the OAGF to provide full details of outstanding remittances and deductions as its investigation continues.
