Reps order Fire Service to refund N1.48bn covid-19 funds

The Federal Fire Service has found itself in hot water, facing a stern directive from the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee to refund N1.48 billion within a week.

This hefty sum stems from COVID-19 intervention funds allocated to the service, which they appear unable to adequately account for.

The committee, chaired by Bamidele Salam, issued this ultimatum on Wednesday, marking the third time the Fire Service has failed to appear before an investigative hearing on the matter.

This repeated absence raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability, especially considering the significant amount of public funds involved.

Deputy Chairman of the committee, Jeremiah Umar, moved a motion for the refund of the amount noting that “So many other agencies have appeared before this committee, and the investigation is ongoing. I don’t see any reason why the fire service will ignore a committee like this.”

Umar added that since the service could not appear before the lawmakers to clear the controversies surrounding its COVID-19 expenditure, the right thing to do was to refund the sum of N1.48bn it collected in 2020.

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In his remark, Salam lamented that the Federal Fire Service had snubbed the Committee’s summons thrice while the other affected MDAs did the same twice each, saying that the latter group had been given one week to appear, or face sanctions.

He said, “A public officer who fails to respond to the Auditor-General’s query satisfactorily within 21 days for failure to collect government revenue due shall be surcharged and be transferred to another schedule. Where an officer fails to give a satisfactory reply to an audit query within seven days for his failure to account for government revenue, such officer shall be surcharged for the full amount involved and such officers handed over to either the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

“This Committee has a lot of assignments before it. The COVID-19 probe is just one; we have to move to other assignments,” he added.

While the nature of the alleged discrepancies remains unclear, the committee’s demand reflects broader national anxieties surrounding COVID-19 relief funds. Issues of mismanagement, misappropriation, and insufficient oversight have plagued various interventions throughout the pandemic, eroding public trust and hindering the intended impact of these allocated resources.

The Fire Service’s case exemplifies the need for robust accountability mechanisms. Their repeated disregard for the investigative process underscores the crucial role of legislative oversight in safeguarding public funds. Failure to comply with the committee’s directive could trigger further consequences, potentially including legal action or sanctions.

However, beyond immediate punitive measures, this incident highlights the need for systemic reforms to strengthen transparency and accountability across all government agencies. Implementing stricter monitoring measures, enhancing internal auditing mechanisms, and fostering a culture of ethical governance are crucial steps towards ensuring responsible management of public resources, especially during periods of crisis.

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