Reps berate NigComSat over unaudited account

The House of Representatives yesterday rebuked the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited for lack of accountability over remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Mr. James Falake, who met with the management of the agency led by its Managing Director, Mrs. Abimbola Alale, said that there were multiple infractions in the audited accounts of the agency.

The committee, which is probing into the level of compliance by major Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from 2011 to date, described the NIGCOMSAT management as utterly incompetent.

It particularly queried the professional competency of the accountants who audited the accounts and the inabilities of the Managing Director and the General Manager, Finance, Mr. Adamu Idris, to provide satisfactory answers on issues raised.

Faleke (Lagos, APC) noted: “Things cannot continue like this. You are not competent; we have to rescue this agency from you. In fact, if I have my way, I will recommend your sack.

“We cannot continue with this exercise, the management will have to leave, go and perfect your records and you will represent for consideration because the one brought now cannot stand the test of time. We will have to start from the 2012 financial year.”

The chairman of the committee, who later addressed newsmen, said that the agency would be placed on status inquiry to determine its financial status.

According to him, “we are continuing with our investigation on revenue monitoring to ensure what happened in the past do not continue.”

And the essence is to make sure that all revenues meant for the consolidated revenue accounts are remitted as and when due and every outstanding accounted for.

“We have just taken on the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat). We looked at their presentation and we were not pleased with what we saw, so we ordered a status inquiry.

“The documents presented to us were supposed to have been prepared by professionals, but when we saw what they brought, we all were embarrassed and that was why I said if we have our ways, we would have recommended severe sanctions against it.

“Although we don’t have the power to hire and fire, it’s within our purview to recommend sanctions, which could include a sack of a given officer, so we can actually do that.”