Missing $20bn: Produce full report, Reps ask Okonjo-Iweala again

The House of Representatives for the second time on Wednesday, asked the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to submit the full version of the forensic audit report on the alleged missing Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ‎$20billion to the legislature.

The House gave the first directive on Thursday last week, following a motion moved by its Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

On Wednesday, the House again asked the minister for the report after Gbajabiamila complained that almost one week following the first resolution, Okonjo-Iweala had not responded.

He said, “Mr. Speaker (Emeka Ihedioha presiding), we request the Clerk to the House to formally write the Minister to produce that report to every member of this House.

“She has not produced the report, irrespective of the standing resolution of the House.

“We want to have the full report, not the snippets that they have been flying about.”

The House endorsed his submission and directed the minister a second time to comply.

An auditing firm, PriceWater House Coopers, had carried out the forensic investigation on behalf of the Federal Government.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Solomon Olamilekan, also told reporters shortly after the House rose that the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation only presented a “highly-condensed version” of the report to the public.

He recalled that in the condensed version, the NNPC was directed to remit a “minimum of $1.4bn into the Federation Account.”

The lawmaker added that, as the committee overseeing public accounts, PAC was duty-bound to ensure that the minister produced the report.

He ordered Okonjo-Iweala to submit the report not later than one week from Wednesday.

Olamilekan spoke further, “‎The PAC, cognisant of the provisions of the Constitution (1999), and empowered by the resolution, hereby requests that the full report on the forensic audit by PWC, which must include the initial raft report, the executive summary, management /internal control letters, should be forwarded to the National Assembly not later than one week from today.”