By Levinus Nwabughiogu – Abuja

House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts was miffed, yesterday, by how the Police Service Commission, PSC, spent alleged extra-budgetary spending and unaccounted funds to the tune of N1,066,398,223.The committee also discovered that some funds were paid into private accounts of some PSC officials.

The discovery followed queries issued by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to the PSC covering 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2019 on the expenditure of the commission.

Specifically, the query bothered on the N17,824,680 received from the Service Wide Vote in 2013; N1,853,456 received in 2015; N336,696,142.65 in 2018, N400,000,000 in 2019, N17,733,944 in also 2019 and another N292,290,001.51 in 2019.

In an investigative session with the Permanent Secretary of PSC, Williams Alo; and Director of Finance and Account, Brighten Saagwe, the committee chaired by  Wole Oke grilled the officials on the queries.

 The commission had in a written response to the query said the N17,824,680 drawn from the Service Wide Vote was “Utilised in the payment of the severance allowances to former chairman and two full-time members of the commission whose tenure in the office expired by effusion of time on April 14, 2013.”

 It listed DIG Parry Osayande (retd) (N6,079,200), Justice S.  Akintan (N5,872,740) and  Habu Daura (N5,872,740) as ultimate beneficiaries.

The commission added that N1,853,456 received in 2015 was paid to one Mr. Asu James Ata as salary arrears.

It states thus: “The commission vide a letter (with) Reference Number PSC/1631/1 dated  December 1, 2015, requested the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (IPPIS Department) to pay the sum to the staff (member) whose IPPIS Number is 212412.”

On the N336,696,142.65 received in 2018, the commission said it requested the Minister of Finance through a letter dated September 30, 2017, to use the amount in offsetting accumulated salaries and allowances of 95 staff disengaged at the time.

It further stated that the N400m received in 2019 was to enable it to meet its statutory obligations.

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“The PSC in 2019 received the sum of N400million to enable it meet it its statutory obligation.

“Pursuant to its constitutional powers of oversight on the police, the commission monitored the conduct of police officers deployed for election duty during the 2019 general elections in the country.

“The objective, besides instilling confidence the electoral process, is also aimed at strengthening the nascent democracy and ensuring professionalism in the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.”

“The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, via a letter Ref: INEC/CH/GC/073/Vol.1, dated December 29, 2010, specifically gave the commission the task of: Monitoring the registration/election process, particularly the performance of police officers on election duties; train police officers on conduct during elections; develop a reward system for police officers who perform creditably during election; and develop and share with police a template for monitoring activities of police officers on election duties, including likely disciplinary and reward measures,” the written defence stated.

Similarly, the commission said that it expended N120,021,500 on procurement of six Toyota Hilux pick-p vans and another N279,978,500 on Duty Tour Allowances and equipment.

On the N17,733,944,the Commission said it paid a total sum of N13,528,846.94 as salary arrears to four workers while the balance of N4,205,097.06 was on December 31, 2019, “mopped up into the chest – Consolidated Revenue Account – via the Government Integrated Financial Management and Information System, GIFMIS.”

In its defence of the N292,290,001.51 expenditure, the commission said it received the sum as capital supplementation to mobilise the contractors constructing its headquarters at Jabi, Federal Capital Territory to site.

“The amount was paid to Vita Construction Limited, a contractor handling the construction of the Police Service Commission’s corporate head office. The contract was awarded on December 13, 2011,” the commission stated.

Vanguard News Nigeria