Padding resurrects as Senate uncovers N10bn anomaly in FIRS budget

The Senate has uncovered a fresh alleged budget padding of over N10 billion in the 2016 budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The fresh discovery was made during the consideration of Senate Finance Committee’s report ‎of the agency’s 2016 appropriation bill.

Dazed by the fresh discoveries, the Senate refused to pass the budget.

According to the committee’s report, N700 million was budgeted for fueling of utility vehicles, while N750 million was budgeted on purchase of fuel for power generating sets.

The agency also budgeted N586 million for refreshment and N200 million for sporting activities as well as N960 million on computer equipment.

About N1.560 billion was budgeted for purchase of office equipment, while N440 million went into supplies of office materials. Office maintenance is to gulp N530 million and N170 was budgeted for maintenance of office generator.

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About N446 million is to be spent on training, while N885 million will go into payment of rents for offices. Electricity will gulp N500 million, while telephone calls will take N320 million. Internet connection is expected to gulp N300 million and office fumigation will gulp N750 million.

But Senator Enoh’s committee is however expected to reflect observations made by lawmakers in the report and report back within one week.

While presenting the report of the budget, Senator Enoh explained the rationale behind the approval of some capital projects in the budget.

His explanation did not go down well with some lawmakers, particularly the Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Bala Na’Allah. Na’Allah who acted on behalf of Ali Ndume, moved that the report be stepped down so as to give the committee more time to correct the lapses.

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