Spend that money and goto jail, ICPC warns ministers,DGs

By Lekan Bilesanmi
The Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission, ICPC,
has ordered Ministries,
Departments And Agencies
(MDAs) to return all unspent
balances on personnel votes
to the Sub-Treasury of the
Federation not later than
Monday, December 31, 2012,
or face the law.
A release by the
Commission's chairman, Mr.
Ekpo Nta, also ordered the
MDAs to submit the receipt
and expenditure profiles of
their personnel cost to the
commission not later than
January 31, 2013, using a
template approved by the
commission.
icpc
To underscore the
seriousness his commission
attaches to the directives, the
ICPC chairman stated that
"letters have been sent to the
various Ministries,
Departments and Agencies
for strict compliance and to
note that any infraction will
be prosecuted." He also
announced that the
"Commission will commence
verification for the returns
made to the Sub-Treasury by
February, 2013." The full text
of Mr. Ekpo Nta's statement
entitled,
TREATMENT OF UNSPENT
BALANCES OF 2012
PERSONNEL VOTES:
"The Commission has carried
out a pilot System Study and
Review on the utilization of
the 2011 Personnel Vote of
some Ministries, Departments
and Agencies (MDAs).
Observable lapses were
highlighted and discussed
with the various MDAs.
"The Commission will be
carrying out another System
Study and Review of the
2012 Personnel Vote to
ensure total compliance with
Section 16 of the Finance
(Control and Management)
Act, LFN, 1990 and the
Financial Regulations
regarding unspent balances
in line with the Accountant-
General of Nigeria's Circular
No. TRY/A5 & B5/2011 of
20th November, 2012.
"All MDAs are requested to
submit the Receipt and
Expenditure profiles of their
Personnel Cost to reach the
Commission not later than
January 31, 2013 using the
approved template. For
avoidance of doubt,
Personnel Vote is for the
payment of salaries and
allowances for Government
employees only. "All unspent
balances should be returned
to the Sub-Treasury of the
Federation by 31st
December, 2012.
"The Commission will
commence verification of the
returns made to the Sub-
Treasury by February, 2013.
Letters have been sent to the
various Ministries,
Departments and Agencies
for strict compliance and to
note that any infraction will
be prosecuted".