House Committee Summons CBN Governor Over REMITA Leakages

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee yesterday summoned the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to unfailingly appear before it on Tuesday March 5 over issues with leakages through the REMITA platform.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon Bamidele Salam, made the summons in a letter to the CBN Governor titled RE: Investigation Of Revenue Leakages Through Remita Platform And Non-Compliance Substantively With Standard Operating Procudure And Other Allied Service Level Agreement 2023 (Hr.373/11/2023).

Salam said that the CBN Governor’s failure to appear before the Committee and respond to the issues has greatly stalled this Committee’s investigative process on revenue leakages through the REMITA platform.

“You are strongly advised to take good advantage of this invitation and appear before the Committee unfailingly on Tuesday 5th March, 2024 at 10:00am in Meeting Room 446, House of Representatives’ New Building to respond to the issues that will arise during the hearing session. You are also advised to come along with all relevant Officers who are familiar with the issues at stake and may assist you provide answers to any question that could arise during the Session.

“Please refer to your representation before the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday 27th February, 2024 by an Assistant Director without a written letter to that effect. Be advised, the Committee does not allow representation, all Chief Accounting Officers are to appear in person to defend their Office.

“Recall that the Committee has sent several correspondences to your Office on the same subject with Ref. Nos: HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/2, dated 8th December, 2023; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/31, dated 19th January, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/60, dated 25th January, 2024 and HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/2/84, dated 19th February, 2024, and observed your absolute disregard for its Constitutional mandate. Please find copy of letters attached.”

He further added, “Your failure to cause appearance before the Committee and respond to the issues has greatly stalled this Committee’s investigative process on Revenue leakages through the REMITA platform.

“The Committee also wishes to draw your attention to previous letters on various subject matters, of which you are yet to respond to, please find references below:

HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/QUE.2/29 dated 23rd January, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/FA/1 dated 23rd January, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/SE.3/34 dated 30th January, 2024 and HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/SE.3/35 dated 22nd February, 2024. Please also find copy of letters attached.

“The Committee frowns at this and wishes to remind you of the relevant constitutional provisions Sections 62 and 89(1) (a, b, c & d) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Public Accounts Committee has the power to summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence, produce any document in his possession and under his control.”

Furthermore, “It may also interest you to note that the Committee under Sections 89 (1) (d) the Committee has power to issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so.

“Failure to comply with this civil invitation may leave the Committee no choice but to issue a warrant of arrest against you in line with Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges Act 2017) (Sections 2 & 3) and the 1999 CFRN (as amended) in line with House Procedures. Consequently, the Committee resolved to grant you one last opportunity to appear.”