In the light of the unfolding irregularities in the payment of subsidy, the Finance Ministry has terminated the services of the audit and accounting firms responsible for certifying the documents and claims of marketers before payment.A statement by Paul Nwabuikwu, Senior Special Assistant to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance named the firms sacked as Akintola Williams and Co and Adekanola and Co.
The statement said “Concerned about the management of the subsidy regime, the Federal Ministry of Finance has for the last two months been reviewing aspects of the implementation of the subsidy regime related to its functions. The review has produced a lot of useful details on what was wrong with the system and what needs to be done to ensure improvement going forward.
“The review process kicked off in February when the ministry and relevant government agencies held a meeting with bankers and marketers at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan. This was followed by a subsequent session with the accounting and auditing firms to re-evaluate their work.
The statement from the ministry said Based on the review, the Ministry has taken the following steps:The services of the audit and accounting firms responsible for certifying the documents and claims of marketers before payment have been terminated. The companies are Akintola Williams and Co and Adekanola and Co.
“The Ministry has established a committee made up of credible and experienced persons from the private and public sector with strong technical component under the chairmanship of Mr. Aigboje Imoukuede to examine the claims of payment arrears for 2011 currently being made by marketers. This is to ensure that only genuine claims are honoured.
And “The ministry is also finalising a new and more effective system to replace the current arrangement and, in this regard, a second committee has been set up to propose a good way to forward.
Also,based on other outcomes of the review, the ministry will take further actions it deems necessary.
In a related development, statement said the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has put on hold further depletion of the Excess Crude Account (ECA).
