The Senate Committee on Public Accounts, has urged the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to go about its duties as allegations of financial impropriety levelled against it by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) remain spurious at best.

The Committee, chaired by Senator Mathew Urhohide cleared the Bureau of the allegations when the Director General of the privatisation agency, Mr. Alex Okoh appeared before the Committee earlier in the week. Urhohide said the OAuGF did not reconcile its records before going public to accuse BPE of financial misdemeanor.

The OAuGF had accused the Bureau of some financial infractions; especially the non-remittance of revenue on ports concessions in the sum of USD$679,403,172

On the ports concession payments, the Director General informed the Committee that the Bureau was only a party to the concession as all revenues generated from the exercise were paid directly to the landlord-Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). He Stated that the Bureau was never part of revenue collection during and after the concession, adding that the OAuGF arrived at the figures by merely looking at the contract documents and assuming the revenues were paid to the Bureau.

Okoh regretted that the allegations against the Bureau had put a smudge on the reputation and integrity of the Bureau and demanded a retraction and apology from the OAuGF.

After listening to the presentation by the DG, BPE and the inadequate response from the OAuGF, the Committee exonerated the Bureau from all the allegations.

The Committee, therefore, advised the OAuGF to always meet with relevant agencies for Post Audit Reconciliation before going public. It berated the OAuGF for not diligently carrying out its duties.

Source: the Sun