Reps Direct EFCC, ICPC to Summon 2 Ex-Perm Secs Over Alleged Missing N3.201bn
The House of Representatives has instructed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to summon two former Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministry of Labour, Williams Alo and Yerima Tafa, over alleged financial misconduct involving N3.201 billion during their tenure.
The directive was issued by Hon. Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun), Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, at an investigative hearing on Monday. He stated that the committee had written seven separate letters to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to appear before it, but had received no response or explanation.
Salam further revealed that the ministry failed to provide the necessary documents to clarify the 32 audit queries from the 2020 audit report. Despite specific recommendations made by the Auditor General of the Federation, the committee had written to the Ministry to give them an opportunity to defend themselves, but the Minister had continuously ignored the invitation.
According to Salam, Williams Alo and Yerima Tafa, who served as Permanent Secretaries during the period in question, should be held accountable for the alleged financial infraction since they were the accounting officers at the time.
The committee also issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the current Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Saliu Usman, to appear before the committee to respond to the seven audit queries raised by the Auditor General for the 2021 financial year. Failure to do so would result in the committee upholding the Auditor General’s recommendations.
Other permanent secretaries in the ministries of Transportation, Women Affairs, and Humanitarian Affairs, namely Adeleye Ayodeji, Mariam Keshero, and Yakubu Adams Kofan-mata, respectively, were also instructed to appear before the committee within the next 72 hours.
Hon. Salam emphasized that the committee is making every effort to address the queries in both the 2020 and 2021 audit reports before the 2022 report is submitted in April.
