Senate Committee on Public Account has summoned the officials of Ministry of Solid Minerals for pocketing N2 billion meant to be remitted into the Federation account.
The committee relied on the query of the Auditor General of the Federation of 2016 which is being considered by Senate Committee on Public Account chaired by Senator Mathew Urhogvide.
The query reads, “During examination of FAAC records, we observed that a cumulative total of N9,923,015,028.00 Solid Minerals revenue collected in 2015 was paid into the Federation Account in the year ended 31st December 2016.
“We noted that the Ministry reported the same total revenue figure for years 2014, 2015 and 2016. From records presented for audit, it was also noted that the sum of N2,838,351,664.97 was collected as solid mineral revenue from January to December, 2016 but this amount was not paid into the Federation Account for distribution in 2016 contrary to section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel has been requested to explain why the ministry failed to pay the revenues collected into the Federation Account as required by the constitution.”
No written response submitted to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation which is expected to give explanation on the whereabouts of the N2 billion.
The Senate committee however said it would summon the officials of the ministry to explain why it failed to remit the N2 billion into the federation account.