N116m spent on Stationary was done before my assumption Of Office – Sylva
Victoria Ogunrinde
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has explained that the officials who allegedly spent N116m on stationery have either retired or been redeployed to other ministries.
He stated that the infractions occurred before the present leadership of the Ministry of Petroleum.
A 2015 audit report submitted by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in December 2020 had revealed that officials of the petroleum ministry spent N116m on stationery.
A breakdown of the amount showed that N14.5m was spent on the purchase of Schneider pens; N46m to print the ministry’s letterhead, and N56m on toner for its photocopy machines in 2015.
The Minister in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Deen Muhammad, said that the infractions appeared in the 2015 report of the Auditor-General for the Federation which is presently under consideration by the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate.
It said, “The general public should note that while it is true that the Auditor-General raised audit observations; on infractions committed by the ministry of petroleum resources; these infractions related to the 2015 accounts of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
“The public should further note that the officers the report of the Auditor-General for the Federation indicted have since been retired or redeployed out of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in line with the practice in the civil service.”
The report is being investigated by the Senate Public Accounts Committee led by Mathew Urhoghide, Senator, representing Edo south.
The officials are also currently being investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.