Senate threatens to arrest Finance Ministry Perm Sec over missing N113m for JAMB staff

The Public Accounts Committee of the 9th Senate has summoned the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr. Mufutau Bello, over unverifiable N113 million from service wide vote for the payment of salary adjustment of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) staff.

This followed a claim by JAMB Director of Finance and Accounts, Mohammed Bello, that the N113 million was not released to them contrary to what was stated in the records of the Accountant General.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Urhoghide, on Tuesday, gave the permanent secretary an ultimatum to appear before the committee for necessary clarification.

Urhoghide said the ultimatum became necessary because the committee had written a letter of appearance to the Ministry on 20th of October, 2022 and was not responded to.

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He stressed that the committee would issue warrant of arrest if the permanent secretary failed to appear before the committee on Thursday.

“They have to appear before the Committee by Thursday this week, since JAMB has denied knowledge of that release , we want to interface with them in your presence (Cash Management Office has to come before this Committee) this payment was used to clear salary adjustment of 2017.

“While the record from the office of Accountant General of the Federation, (AGF) revealed that the N113 million was released to JAMB in May 2017 for salary augmentation, submission made here by the JAMB representative proved otherwise.”

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