The Federal Government expended over N639 million on execution of viable infrastructure development projects at the Federal Medical Centre Birninkudu in Jigawa, Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has disclosed.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Bede Anyanwu, FRC’s Head of Strategic Communication Directorate, on Tuesday in Dutse.
A FRC team, led by the Head of North-West Verification exercise, Bello Gulmare, on Monday visited the FMC for the verification of projects executed by the Federal Government.
He listed the projects to include construction of a hostel block for the School of Post Basic Mid-Wifery; two lecture theaters,an isolation ward, entrance and exit gates and installation of solar street lights.
The Spokesman said that the main purpose of the exercise was to confirm the existence of the projects.
“And to determine the amount so far expended and the level of work done at the sites, to ensure they commensurate with the amount paid,” he said.
The statement quoted Gulmare, who is the Head of Monitoring and Monitoring Directorate of the commission, as saying that the exercise was also to verify and ensure that the budget was derived from the Medium Term Expenditure Frame Work (MTEF), which was the basis for the annual budget preparation, as contained in Section 18 (1) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007.
According to him, during the exercise, the team observed that most of the contracts inspected were time overrun due to insufficient funding.
“The team also verified the Audited Financial Accounts of the centre which revealed some outstanding operating surplus liability that are yet to be remitted to Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
“The team leader, therefore, directed the management of the centre to remit the operating surplus liability to the CRF as soon as possible and convey the evidence of remittance to the FRC for update.
“Gulmare charged the management to improve on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and ensure prompt remittance of the operating surplus generated to the CRF,” it said.
The statement further quoted the Acting Medical Director of the centre, Dr Lawal Sikiru as assuring that the outstanding liability of the operating surplus would soon be sorted out.
Sikiru advocated for training of all account staff of Federal Tertiary Hospitals across the country to acquaint them with the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007. (NAN)
