In 2015, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) spent almost a billion naira for the purchase of “store items”, a Senate committee report has revealed.
The bureau, according to the report, paid a total of N995 million to store officers to purchase items like refrigerators, tyres, stationeries, laptops, among others.
There was, however, no evidence to show that the items were actually purchased or taken charge.
According to Premium Timesbesides the frivolous spending that could not be accounted for, the CBB also paid salaries to dead and retired officers months after their death and retirement respectively.
Details of the discrepancies in the bureau’s spending are contained in the annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation for 2015.
The report was submitted to the Senate by its Committee on Public Account in June.
The CCB is one of the many Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) indicted and queried by the Auditor-General for incessant violation of extant rules, some of which include non-retirement of personal advances within a financial year and grant of cash advances above approved limit.
A copy of the report obtained by PREMIUM TIMES reveals that 114 MDAs were queried by the Auditor-General; of which 84 responded, made submissions and appeared before the Senate panel to defend the queries raised.
Altogether 21 MDAs sent in written reports but did not appear before the committee.