NIMC got N14bn for software in two years – Abaribe

Prosper

The Senator, representing Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Eyinnaya Abaribe, has alleged that N14.468bn was allocated to the National Identity Management Commission for the acquisition of computer software in two years, despite its failure to justify the huge public investment in it.
Abaribe, who disclosed this on Wednesday at the 2015 Annual Lecture of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Benin, Edo State, ‎explained that the amount, consisted of N10.9bn and N3.568bn in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
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The Senator, who is a former Committee Chairman on Information and Media in the 7th Assembly, described the amount as “humongous”.
“Even if the agency wanted to purchase a computer company whole and entire, it could have done so and still have a lot of money left. Yet, it was allocated this humongous amount year after year,”‎ he noted.
The Peoples Democratic Party senator also said the sum of N2.5bn was allocated for welfare packages, acquisition of computer software, and payment to professional bodies for the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, in the last four years.
Abaribe, who is an alumnus of the university, noted that the office of the SGF had N1.223bn as welfare package; N367.715m as “subscription” to professional bodies while N580m was for computer software.
According to him, a breakdown of the money appropriated in the last four years, showed that in 2012, the sum of N250m was appropriated for software acquisition, adding that the subhead appeared again, gulping N100m in 2013, while the sum of N580m was budgeted for the same expenditure in 2014.‎
The former Deputy Governor of Abia State said the huge inconsistencies in budgetary processes and duplication of sub-heads accounted largely for poor implementation of the Federal Government budget since 1999.‎‎
Speaking on the lecture titled ‘Our Country, Our Budget: A Critical Analysis of Nigeria’s Budgeting System’, said, “What could justify the allocation of N1.223bn to that office (SGF) for welfare packages? The same office also has N367.715m for subscription to professional bodies and N580m for computer software acquisition.
“Computer Software in this case constitutes a veritable sink holes for Ministries, Departments and Agencies seeking to pillage the treasury.
“Still on this office, let’s take time to examine this computer software acquisition. In 2012, N250m was appropriated for software acquisitions. In 2013, the subhead appeared again, gulping N100m. Now in 2014, N580m was appropriated for it.
“Pray, what is this computer software that a particular office acquires every year? Which privately-owned company acquires computer software to the tune of N100m – and more – every year? If you check the budget for every Ministry, Department and Agencies of the Federal Government, you will see identical provisions for computers, software and consumables, year in year out!”
According to him, under the laws, budget ought to be sent to the National Assembly by September every year, noting that “in my eight years in the National Assembly, only once has this threshold been met”.
He said the Central Bank of Nigeria, some agencies and parastatals refused the National Assembly oversight on their operating budget.
He listed the MDAs to include the Nigerian Port Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
Other listed are the Department of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian ‎Communication Commission and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
Abaribe said, “At the time the Emir of Kano(the then Governor of CBN, Lamido Sanusi), was excoriating members of the NASS, his CBN overhead that year was about N320bn; double the total budget for the entire legislative arm; for an agency.
“But he has refused to let the National Assembly look into his operating budget, citing the CBN Act.
“He was not alone. NPA, NIMASA, FIRS, DPR, NCC, NNPC et al, all refused the National Assembly oversight of their operating budget citing enabling laws despite the Fiscal Responsibility Act and they were backed by the Presidency".
Source: Punch