Abuja – The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris has assured of the Federal Government’s
commitment to delivering on its promises to Nigerinas.
Idris stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that although the Muhammadu Buhari administration was facing a lot of challenges, it was committed to living up to its responsibilities.
“Nigerians have been made a lot of promises and I believe Mr President is aware and is passionate to deliver on those promises.
“Challenges are there, challenges to do with the economy, challenges to do with the revenue but gradually these challenges are being
overcome.
“By the time we begin to see the benefits of some of these loans that the government has taken, of course projects and programmes as
promised will begin to roll out.
“And I believe this will start particularly when the budget is finally sealed and approved.
“Nigerians are right to even look for all these because it is a right to all citizens and I believe expectations of Nigerians must be met.
“And we are ready and we will leave no stone unturned to make sure that government and Mr President have delivered on their promises and gradually we will see the benefits.’’
He pleaded with Nigerians to be patient stating that the economic policies of the administration were geared towards ensuring
transparency and accountability in governance.
According to him, committees are established by the Ministry of Finance to ensure transparency in what comes to government by way of
operating surplus from agencies that are supposed to generate revenue.
Idris said that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) was also working towards ensuring that all revenue accruable to the government was recovered especially in the current era of diversification from crude oil.
On the issue of ghost workers, he said that the ministry was working through the OAGF to weed them out.
“We are now going ahead to use Bank Verification Number (BVN) recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to clarify
and to ascertain names of those benefitting salary from the Federal Government.
“Following that exercise, quite a number of names appeared that are receiving double salaries and although we are not an agency charged to prosecute, we are liaising and collaborating with those agencies.’’
He said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was involved and that a committee was already set up by the Minister of Finance to help weed out ghost workers.
He said the committee was manned by very seasoned and experienced personnel and that it would submit those names to relevant government agencies for prosecution.
The AGF, however, said that the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which is used to pay salaries was not
absolutely 100 per cent corrupt free.
“There are issues and these issues because of the mechanisms we put in place are being identified and culprits are being apprehended.
“Right now some staff working with that department are in the custody of security agencies, being interrogated and I believe prosecution
will take place.
“The most important thing is not about really apprehending people but mechanism that is being put in place to arrest further incursion into
the system and we have done that,’’ he said. (NAN)
