A review of public payments portal, GovSpend, has shown that over N169 million meant for official air travel expenses was allegedly deposited into private bank accounts by the Nigerian government, SaharaReporters revealed.
The monies tracked were paid between September 3 and 11.
These monies were paid into personal accounts in contravention of the fiscal guidance laws of the government.
Details on the portal showed that on September 11th 2024, the sum of N5.1 million was paid to Paul Enebi for “payment of DTA, air ticket airport taxi and local running”. The payment was made by the Federal Ministry of environment.
On September 5, 2024, another sum of N7.9million was paid into the account of Udo Okoko Ekanem by the Finance Ministry for “air ticket in respect of OPEC 186th governing board session meeting that was held in Dec 14th 2023 in Vienna.”
On September 3rd, 2024, seven different payments were made into the account of Abba Goni Yarema, totalling N35 million for “non personal advance for hiring of hall, refreshments, hotel accommodation allowances, stationaries, computer accessories, air ticket for resource persons and honorarium for committee meeting”. The payment was made by the Ministry of Marine and Blue economy.
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On same September 3rd, another sum of N8.9 million was paid as estacode to Olufemi Micheal Oloruntola as “Payment of estocode to and fro air ticket for 3rd batch july – december to attend imo meeting for year 2024 in London.”
Others that got payments from the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy included; Hafeez Babatunde Bombata (N16.5 million), Emionwele Nosa Marvis (N5.2 million),Otakali Victor Nwuche (N5.2 million), Anita Felix Emuoyibofarhe (N5.2 million), Chikere Christian Chinedu (N5.2 million).
Others also include; Hadiza Abba Ibrahim (N5.2 million), Abimbola Esuola (N5.5 million), Sanya Sholabomi Abosede (N44 million), Sagir Musbahudeen Yunusa (N5.5 million), Jonah Peter Ojuzie (N5.2 million), Babalola Ebenezer Ojo (N5.2 million), Ricky Johnson (N5.2 million), Umar Sadaatu Manu (N5.5 million.
It is unclear why the monies were not paid into the accounts of airline companies themselves, but rather paid to individual accounts.
This is despite the provision of Chapter Seven, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations 2009 states that “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.”
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