The Nigerian Senate has uncovered the sum of N143m as infraction in the 2017 budget of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA).
DAILY POST gathered that NEPZA had proposed the sum of N638m for personnel cost in the 2017 budget with a discharge of N45m monthly.
It was, however, revealed by the Senate committee on Trade and Investment during the 2018 budget defense by the agency that a total of N505m had so far been disbursed since January, leaving about N133m in the cofers for the month of December.
Bearing in mind that, a sum of N45m only, would be needed for the overheads in the month of December, which is the last month in the fiscal year, the committee queried the infraction.
A member of the committee, Senator Nafada Bayero (Gombe state) therefore challenged the rationale behind the agency increasing its allocation of personnel cost from N638m to N710m in the 2018 proposed appropriation bill.
Nafada said, “I think the MD is trying to skip my question. I was asking that they have a personnel cost of 638 million. And what they have expended to November 2017 is 505m which represents 45m per month. And now that we have only one month remaining and they have 133m remaining.
“What are they going to do with the difference? If he is talking about increase, that portion is enough for annual increment and they have only one month. What you need for December is only 45m but what you have now is 133m.
“Not only that, in 2018, you are asking for additional 77m. The 638m is much more than the requirement for personnel by about 90m and you are now asking for an additional 77m. That is my question. Mr. Chairman, I think he is trying to skip that one but I have reminded him”.
The Managing Director of the agency, Barr. Emmanuel Jime, could not tackle the allegations, saying, he had no explanation to give on it.
Jime said: “One of the greatest challenges in coming to the senate committee on trade and investment is the challenge of having to come and meet a mathematician in the team. I think quite frankly that sometimes, this really takes us unaware.
“All I can say for now, is from the information that I am receiving, and again that is almost speaking at the off of my head, we have certain calculation that go into arriving at this subheads. I am reminded that we have taxes that we have to pay and pensions.
“And I am not sure that has been spelt out in those names as they should be but I am not really able to explain this clearly without getting the benefits of further information including myself. I am not sure there is anyone on the table here who can actually provide the mathematical explanation to why there is that defence. So we would need a little more time.”
Not satisfied, the committee therefore, resolved to reduce the personnel cost of 2018 to N518m.
The committee also resolved to take the excess monies to capital votes since the agency is expected to fund its over head budget with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
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