Senate sustains query on 55 missing vehicles against Environment Ministry

 

The Senate through its  Committee on Public Account , sustained query  issued against Ministry of Environment by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation in 2018  on alleged missing 55 vehicles.
Sustenance of the query by the Committee chaired by Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), followed the failure of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa, who represented the Minister, to defend it.


The query reads, “Audit observed that 55 vehicles were not presented for physical inspection,  all efforts to inspect and confirm their existence proved abortive and the exact location of these vehicles  could not be ascertained. 


“We are aware that some officers took  ministry’s  vehicles away with them when going on transfer or retirement.


“The audit further observed that the motor vehicles Logbooks  had not been updated,  making it difficult to track the movement  of these vehicles and track their records of maintenance. It is also noted that some official vehicles carry private plate number and registered number. 
“The above anomalies  are because of failure  on the part of the management to ensure proper record keeping due process in the Ministry. 


“Government vehicles may be diverted for private use, unauthorized journey may be undertaken due to lack of adherence to internal control system  put in place. 
“No response was received from the Management of our report. 
“The permanent secretary should account for the 55 vehicles not presented during the audit. He should also be sanctioned in accordance with provision of FR3129.”
Spirited efforts made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry   to present some vehicles as part of the alleged missing vehicles was rejected because the vehicles do not have chasis number. 
The committee therefore sustained the query of the Auditor General against the Ministry .

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