Audit Query: Lawmakers Summon TETFUND over Fund Utilisation

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts yesterday gave the management of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) a 7-day ultimatum within which to appear before it to explain the utilisation of fund in its reserve in line with the Act which set it up.

The Committee also gave the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Ministry of Transportation and 25 Heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government who had shunned its summons a 24 hours ultimatum to honour its invitation or be arrested.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Wole Oke issued the summon when the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Sylva Okolieaboh appeared before the Committee on multiple queries raised against several MDAs of the federal government.

Oke said the management of TETFUND was also expected to explain the utilisation of the two and a half per cent Education Tax being collected from companies and agencies on behalf of the federal government.

He also requested for the details of expenditures, list of donors, grants and total amounts involved.

The lawmaker frowned at the practice where the agency had not been rolling back its surplus funds to the consolidated account of the federal government at the end of every financial year as obtained with other MDAs.

He thereafter directed the official of the Federal Inland Revenue Service to appear along to assist in carrying out its investigation into the operations of the agency.

He said, “We have come to a stage where the Committee has to exercise its constitutional power, we are not a dog that can only back but cannot bite. The Committee Clerk is hereby directed to prepare the full list of those involved, by tomorrow morning, we will have no choice to present it to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to sign the warrant of arrest.”