The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has directed the Chairman of Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammmed Bello, to provide details of over N500 billion unremitted revenue and other funds belonging to the federal government recovered from some institutions.
Chairman of the committee, James Faleke, gave the directive after a submission by the RMFC chairman during his appearance before the Committee on Thursday.
During his presentation, Bello informed the committee that N14 billion was recovered between 2008 and 2012 through the assistance of forensic experts engaged by the commission while N60.981 billion was recovered between 2012 and 2015.
He added that over N312 billion was recovered between 2016 and 2019 while the payment was made in 2022 fiscal year.
Bello said the recovered N98 billion in September this year from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and was remitted to the treasury.
In the same vein, the commission recovered the sum of N79.102 billion from federal and eight state MDAs.
He further informed the committee about the recovery of N474 million and N199 million excise duties from two companies operating in the South West which were recovered from January 2020 to December 2021 and 2022.
According to him, before 2011, revenues from royalties and solid minerals were remitted into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The RMFC chairman said the commission was expanding its operations to 17 states of the federation.
He, however, informed the committee that some states were owing the federal government up to N30 billion.
Speaking after the submission by the RMFC chairman, Faleke expressed displeasure over the level of impunity in the management of public fund.
He alleged that most of the erring institutions indicted for financial impropriety ended up using public fund to pay back the unremitted revenues they owed the federal government.
He said, “As far as this committee is concerned all those things you read out are no news. All those figures you read out are mere figures. You have no data or whatsoever to support it.
“If you say in 2008 and 2012 you recovered N14 billion, from where? Which agency paid, how, individual? We need comprehensive list.
“For you to get back to an agency and say you are owing us $10 or N10 million and then being able to pay back from where do they get it? When you accused them, it means they have spent that money.
“So, for them to pay back they also use government money to pay you back. So, you’ll give details of these recoveries, the N16.9 billion, your N312 billion, your 98 billion, $21.48 million and N21.9 billion, we need more details”.
He therefore directed the RMAFC chairman to provide comprehensive report of all the agencies from which the unremitted revenues were recovered.