By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Senate Public Accounts Committee yesterday mandated the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, to refund the sum of N49m.
He was unable to provide evidence of how two brand new Toyota Prado Jeeps and a Ford Ranger Jeep acquired to monitor the Agricultural Mechanization program of the Federal Government, were purchased.
The Senate Panel had summoned the MD based on the query raised in the 2017 report of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation concerning three jeeps allegedly declared missing at the Kaduna branch of the bank.
He was unable to produce any document when the SPAC summoned him to respond to the query of the missing vehicles worth about N49m.
There was also, no document to convince members of the committee that the vehicles were purchased.
Hassan however, presented a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture which mandated him to withdraw money from the Agricultural Mechanisation Fund to procure the vehicles.
Members of the Committee were shocked when the MD was unable to show any concrete evidence that the Vehicles were on the ground in his office.
The Chairman of the Senate panel,
Senator Matthew Urhoghide wondered how the MD paid for vehicles without seeing them.
The Chairman declared that those vehicles were never bought by the Bank of Agriculture and sustained the query of the AGF against the bank.
He also ordered him to refund the amount expended for the purchase of the vehicles into the Consolidated Federation Revenue Account.
The AGF query read, “The Bank expended the of N49,026,333.32 from the Agricultural Mechanisation Fund specifically meant to operators, on various unrelated projects.
“For instance, the sum of N23,122,095.24 was paid to a motor dealer through payment voucher number 0103576 dated 29th September 2015 for the purchase f two Toyota Prado Jeeps.
“Similarly, the sum of N25,904,238.08 was paid o another motor dealer or the purchase of Ford Ranger Jeeps vide payment voucher number 0103579 of 29th September 2015.
“These purchases were purportedly made as project vehicles for the Agric Mechanization program.
“The management of the Bank could not justify the price of the vehicles.
“The vehicles could so not be produced for inspection during the periodic check.
“The Managing Director should be compelled to account for all the stated motor vehicles, or refund to Government, the sum of N49,026,333.32.”
