Abuja, Nigeria
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, has said that no Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) of the Federal Government is allowed to move public funds into private accounts in the name of the project account.
Madein also clarified that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation does not make payments on behalf of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for projects and programmes implemented by these MDAs.
The AGF was reacting to media reports concerning a request from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for payment of grants to vulnerable groups in some States of the country.
She stated that allocations are released to self-accounting MDAs in line with the budget and such MDAs are responsible for the implementation of their projects and payments for such projects.
In a statement on Saturday in Abuja, the AGF explained that although her office received the said request from the Ministry, it did not implement the payment.
She said the Ministry was however advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.
The AGF noted that in such situations, payments are usually processed by the affected Ministries as self-accounting entities, and no bulk payment is supposed to be made to an individual’s account in the name of the Project Accountant.
She added that such payment should be sent to the beneficiaries through their verified bank accounts.
The AGF restated the commitment of her office to upholding the principles of accountability and transparency in the management of public finances.
She advised MDAs to always ensure that the requisite steps are taken in carrying out financial transactions.
