Reps threaten AGF with arrest if he does not appear before the Committee on September 7th.

The committee insists that the AGF be present and ready to explain the non-remittance to the National Housing Fund (NHF) on September 7.

According to the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee examining non-remittance to the National Housing Fund (NHF) and fund utilisation, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, must appear before it.
The committee says she must appear before it on September 7 or face arrest. The committee stated this on Thursday when the Director, Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) appeared before it regarding non-remittance to NHF.

The committee had invited IPPIS, an Office of AGF department, to explain why it had not remitted to NHF. However, alarmed by the information provided by the IPPIS director, the committee requested that the AGF appear in person.

A letter brought by the Director of IPPIS to explain why the AGF could not appear today did not appease the committee, leading them to re-invite Madien.

The committee stated that the IPPIS director could not answer most of the questions asked to him, and that he should appear with the AGF and be prepared to explain further on September 7.

“We cannot take the same man who could not give us the information we needed from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation,” said Rep Dachung Bagos, Chairman of the committee.

“The speaker asked for a fair hearing, and we don’t want to be seen as witch-hunting anyone.” We would give the AGF a fair hearing and invite her to come on another day.”

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), IPPIS alleged difficulties in remitting to NHF. The committee also requested that Remittal, a private firm that remits funds, appear on September 7 because IPPIS was not prepared to answer committee questions.

Though the committee chairman congratulated Remittal for appearing before it with the appropriate documentation, he chastised IPPIS for not being prepared with the essential paperwork to question the organisation.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Zenith Bank, Sterling Bank, and Heritage Bank are also present at the investigation hearing. Bagos stated that the NHF Act, which established the NHF, required knowledge of banking sector investment.

Mr Eke Ogba, the General Manager of UBA, stated in his presentation that the bank had remitted around 2.5 billion to NHF between January 2011 and July 2023.

“This is a substantial sum. We have provided the summary on a monthly basis. We have also included an overview of what is deducted monthly from each employee.

“I don’t know anything about investing; we only deduct and remit.” “I’ll get the investment details; all we know is how much has been deducted from each staff member,” he stated.