The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, has disapproved of the transfer of N585,189,500.00 into a personal account, distancing herself from the payment process.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, had personally signed and directed a document instructing the payment of the funds to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
The document also showed that the payment of the N585.189 million grant, is designated for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, was to be transferred into Oniyelu’s account.
In response, Rasheed Zubair, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister, defended the payment, in a statement on Friday, asserting that it followed due process as Bridget serves as the Project Accountant of Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
Contrary to this, the AGF, Dr. Madein, clarified that her office did not honor the request, emphasizing that it is not her responsibility to make payments for projects and programs on behalf of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Madein’s position was contained in a statement on Saturday by the Director of Press, OAGF, Bawa Mokwa.
Mokwa quoted the AGF as saying that allocations were released to self-accounting MDAs in line with the budget and such MDAs were responsible for the implementation of their projects and payments for such projects.
The AGF explained that allocations were released to self-accounting MDAs, and they are accountable for project implementation and payments.
The AGF emphasized her commitment to accountability and transparency in managing public finances, advising MDAs to adhere to established payment procedures for financial transactions.
“The AGF noted that in such situations, payments are usually processed by the affected Ministries as self-accounting entities and no bulk payment is supposed to be made to an individual’s account in the name of Project Accountant.
“She added that such payment should be sent to the beneficiaries through their verified bank accounts.
“Dr. Madein reiterated her determination to uphold the principles of accountability and transparency in the management of public finances. She advised MDAs to always ensure that the requisite steps are taken in carrying out financial transactions,” the statement said.
Ada Peter
