The Senate has queried the Ministry of Power over the sum of N7 billion smuggled into its budget without an appropriation from the National Assembly.
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts premised its query on the 2015 audit report of the Auditor-General of the Federal, (AGF), which was submitted to it for consideration.
The Committee, chaired by Sen. Matthew Urhoghide (Edo-South) wondered how N7 billion could have appeared in the Ministry’s Accounts when the 2015 Budget was yet to be passed and the account for 2014 was already closed. The lawmakers noted that there was no evidence that such money was budgeted for in respect of the Hydro-power Transmission Project in either the 2014 or 2015 fiscal year.
According to the report, N2billion out of the fund was transferred to Diamond Bank, Heritage Bank – N2 billion, Access Bank – N2 billion, and Wema Bank – N1 billion. It was gathered that the money approved by the then-President was a loan for the evacuation of 40MW of electricity generated from Kashimila hydro-power station.
But the Ministry of Power, in a written response, said the Federal Government released the money under the Special Intervention Fund to the Ministry for the funding Hydro-electric Power Project, adding that the fund was released as a special warrant and therefore was outside of the Ministry’s approved budget. The Chairman, Senator Urhogbide, however further demanded more documents to see whether the money was properly utilized as claimed by the Ministry of Power.
