Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secrets Reporters
The Public Complaints Commission, a federal organ established to address grievances of Nigerian citizens and residents against administrative injustices, is currently embroiled in allegations of financial mismanagement. Documents exclusively obtained by this online media reveal serious discrepancies in the Commission’s handling of a N240 million contract intended for the training of investigators across the six geo-political zones in 2021.
Paragraph 603(i) of the Financial Regulations (FR), 2009 mandates that all payment vouchers must be accompanied by detailed and verifiable supporting documents, including local purchase orders, invoices, and other relevant records. Similarly, paragraph 415 emphasizes the prudent use of funds, while paragraph 708 strictly prohibits payments for unexecuted services or undelivered goods. Contrary to these provisions, it was observed that the N240 million payment lacked the requisite documentation to substantiate the execution of the training contracts.
This development was extracted from the recently released audit by the Nigerian auditor-general.
We gathered that the audit report cited an absence of any documentary evidence showing that the training programs were conducted. Despite the substantial funds disbursed, the Commission failed to provide invoices, time sheets, or other documentation to validate the expenditure, raising questions about compliance with the regulatory framework governing public funds.
The audit further noted that these anomalies point to significant weaknesses in the internal control mechanisms at the Commission’s Abuja office. Such lapses in oversight create opportunities for financial irregularities, potentially undermining public trust in the institution’s ability to uphold justice and accountability, the audit said.
According to the audit, the risks associated with this situation include the potential loss of government funds and the diversion of public resources for unauthorized purposes. Given the scale of the payment, the lack of accountability raises concerns about the effectiveness of internal checks and the integrity of financial processes within the Commission, the audit said.
In response to these findings, the management of the Public Complaints Commission has remained silent. Despite multiple requests, there has been no formal explanation or documentation provided to address the discrepancies identified in the audit. This silence has further compounded suspicions of financial mismanagement.
The auditors have emphasized that without a response from the Commission’s management, the allegations remain valid, stressing that the lack of corrective action or evidence of compliance with financial regulations highlights the need for urgent intervention to safeguard public funds and restore institutional credibility.
Recommendations put forward in the audit report call for the Chief Commissioner to account for the N240 million payment and provide evidence of the training programs’ execution. In the absence of such evidence, the report urged the recovery of the full amount and its remittance to the Treasury. Failure to comply with these directives could attract sanctions under paragraphs 3104 and 3115 of the Financial Regulations, 2009.
Paragraph 603(i) of the Financial Regulations (FR), 2009 states, “All vouchers shall contain full particulars of each service such as dates, numbers, quantities, distances and rates, so as to enable them to be checked without reference to any other documents and will invariably be supported by relevant documents such as local purchase orders, invoices, special letters of authority, time sheets, etc.”
Furthermore, paragraph 415 of the FR, 2009 requires all officers responsible for expenditure to exercise due economy. Money must not be spent merely because it has been voted. Also, paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations, 2009 states, “On no account should payment be made for services not yet performed or for goods not yet supplied.”
