The Nigerian senate has faulted the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha for failing to appear before the senate committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs to defend the budget of his office for 2023 fiscal year.
The lawmakers argued that the SGF has consistently shunned invitations from the Senate Since the inauguration of the 9th senate in 2019, and again failed to appear for the last budget of President Buhari administration.
some members of the committee called for the Representative of the SGF to be sent back, and return with Boss Mustapha on a later date.
However, the chairman of the committee Senator Abba Moro ruled, to allow the permanent secretary present the budget on his behalf.
The lawmakers also accused the SGF of not adhering to the principle of federal character in the Nominal role of the office of the secretary to government of the Federation.
The committee therefore mandated the SGF to within two weeks make available copies of nominal role for the office of the SGF for proper scrutiny.
The Committee also pointed that an additional 200 million for personal cost was added to the budget of his office when the office has not embarked on recruitment in the last five year.
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In response the permanent secretary explained that the new provisions were for new presidential aides appointed by president muhammadu Buhari, officers promoted in the SGF office and grants for retiring Staff.
In the 2022 budget presented by the permanent secretary ,the lawmakers raised concerns that despite total sum of 150 million released to the office for projects , only 20percent has been utilized.
The representative of the SGF assured that procurement process is ongoing with the bureau of public procurement and execution will commence before the end of the year.
Other issues raised are the rehabilitation of the shehu shagari complex, worth N400 million , total monies released , but the office has utilized only seven million for the project barely two months to the end of the year.
Other items like the digitization of files and other records worth N64 million, total money released but non utilized so far.
After several hours the committee ordered the office of the SGF to make corrections of issues raised and submit clean copies of documents to the committee for further consideration.
Editor: Ena Agbanoma
