The just retired Auditor General of the Federation , Mr Anthony Ayine , in a query issued the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in 2015, alleged that the examination body fleeced the federal government of Nigeria, the sum of N110.4million through payments for ghost workers.
The Auditor General’s query to JAMB is contained in a report submitted to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts (SPAC), or further investigation.
The AGF in the quarry sighted by the Blueprint last Friday, stated that 66 persons were removed from payroll before the end of 2013 and these persons were on the payroll between one month to 23 months period and collected about N110.4 million as emoluments.
The query stated further that critical examination of the records of the Board revealed that in 2012 and 2013, 70 and 65 employees respectively were found on the payroll but not on the nominal roll.
That request for the personal files of the affected employees for verification of their status was not granted by the then Registrar of the Board, Professor Dibu Ojerinde.
“The Registrar/Chief Executive was requested to forward the personal files of the employees for verification in order to authenticate them as bona fide staff of the board.
“However, his response with reference number JAMB/FIN/127/Vol.2/181 dated 24th May, 2016 did not provide the documents requested,” the query stated.
Further putting the Examination body in tight corner on the alleged financial scandal , Ayine in the report also said that the former JAMB boss has to account for the N1.1milliin tax not deducted from the payments made in respect of consultancy services.
The report reads : “Tax liability amounting to N1.164,550.59 was not deducted from two payments for consultancy services to a single vendor on payment voucher numbers 6407 of 2/11/13 and 6833 of 26/3/2013 for N13, 074,790.00 and N10,216,221.75 respectively.
“The board deducted Withholding tax at the rate of 5 per cent instead of 10 per cent, resulting in loss of government revenue.
“The Registrar/Chef Executive was requested to recover the amount of N1,164,216,221.75 and pay to the Federal Inland Revenue Service with evidence of payment forwarded to my office.
“However, his response with reference number JAMB/FIN/127/Vol.2/181 dated 24th May, 2016 did not address the issue satisfactorily.
“Examination of the board audited accounts revealed 11 bank accounts operated in 2012 and 2013 but the bank statements as well as cash books were not presented for audit examination, despite repeated demands for them.
“This is contrary to financial regulation 110 which provides that the Auditor General and the Accountant General or their representatives shall at all reasonable times, have free access to books of account., files , safes, security documents and other records and information relating to the accounts of all federal ministries,/extra ministerial offices and other arms of government.”
In a telephone chat with the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mathew Uroghide (PDP Edo South), Sunday, he said if satisfactorily response could not be given to the query by the current registrar of the board now, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the former registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, who was at the helm of affairs when the alleged financial scandals took place, will be invited for required explanations.
“There are series of queries against the various MDAs as contained in the 2015 Audited reports submitted to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts and all the affected heads of such agencies will be invited .
“If those heading the indicted agencies now cannot provide required explanations , those at the helm of affairs when the alleged infractions took place , may have to face the Committee through invitations to that effect,” he said .
