The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives has instructed the Federal Fire Service to return N1.48 billion to the Federation Account within a week. This amount represents COVID-19 intervention funds that the service received but has failed to account for adequately.
Despite three summons, the service did not appear at the investigative hearing. Deputy Chairman Jeremiah Umar motioned for the refund, emphasizing that many other agencies had cooperated with the committee’s investigation, and the Fire Service should not ignore such a crucial matter.
As the service didn’t clarify its COVID-19 expenditures, the committee deemed it appropriate to demand the refund for the sum received in 2020. Additionally, fresh invitations were extended to several other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, National Centre for Women Development, National Centre for Disease Control, and the Federal Ministry of Health.
Bamidele Salam, leading the committee, expressed disappointment over the Fire Service’s repeated failure to respond, warning that if the invited entities do not appear within a week, they may face sanctions. He highlighted the consequences for public officers who fail to respond satisfactorily to audit queries within the stipulated timeframe, emphasizing the committee’s commitment to addressing various assignments, including the ongoing COVID-19 probe.
