The Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption has summoned the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile, a former Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abiodun Awere, and the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Andrew Odukoya.
News About Nigeria gathered that the summons is in connection with alleged financial infractions identified during an audit exercise conducted in the ministry between 2021 and 2022.
A statement issued on Monday claims that the financial discrepancies result from the ministry’s use of N92.9 million that was given to them from the governor’s emergency fund.
The purpose of the funds was to add to the budgetary allocations for the ministry’s expenses.
The former Commissioner, Waheed Odusile, along with other officials, has been mandated to appear before the committee on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 1 pm to provide additional information regarding the finances of the ministry.
Committee Chairman Damilare Bello issued the directive during the consideration of the ministry’s auditor reports for the years 2021 and 2022, as well as the financial records presented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Waheed Adesina, at the Assembly Complex in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The committee also directed the ministry’s Director of Finance and Accounts, Andrew Odukoya, to provide further details on the transfer of N2.51 million to individual accounts, as mentioned in the 2021 Auditor General Report.
The funds were reportedly transferred to the personal accounts of Mr. Ojo Emmanuel, Special Adviser on Media, for the purchase of working tools for the OGSG New Media Team.
Committee Chairman Damilare Bello said that such transfers to personal accounts represent a breach of due process and contravene Financial Regulation No. 614.
The committee advised that funds should be transferred directly to the vendor’s bank accounts to ensure accountability and transparency.
Additionally, the committee requested the Director of Finance and Accounts submit the ministry’s up-to-date fixed asset register and provide details on cash inflows and outflows.
In response, Permanent Secretary Adesina assured the committee that measures had been taken to address the issues raised in the audit report.
He pledged the ministry’s commitment to comply with all directives to uphold accountability and transparency.
