Posted by COSMAS EKPUNOBI, Senate Correspondent on
THE Senate yesterday summoned the Director General of the Budget Office at the Presidency, Mr. Olabode Augusto to appear before its Public Accounts Committee today to answer queries on alleged financial irregularities perpetrated by some federal agencies between 1999 and 2003.
THE Senate yesterday summoned the Director General of the Budget Office at the Presidency, Mr. Olabode Augusto to appear before its Public Accounts Committee today to answer queries on alleged financial irregularities perpetrated by some federal agencies between 1999 and 2003.
It also threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the managing director and chief executive officer of Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), Mr. Albert Mashi if he fails again to appear before the committee Wednesday next week to respond to similar queries raised on the said expenditures by the Auditor General of the Federation.
Senate Committee on Public Accounts issued the threat at its resumed session with officials of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and other related agencies also in attendance.
The threat and summon followed alleged "misapplication" of funds levelled by the auditor general office in the financial books of the budget office.
Senate however frawned at the inability of Mr. Augusto to appear before it yestefday to explain the alleged "alteration in the account profile of the federal government.
Chairman of the committee of the committee Senator Maman Ali said that Senate was worried over the alleged distortions in the expenditure profile of the budget office.
According to him, the committee will cause the arrest of NITEL boss, if he fails to honour the new invitation.
Senate had recently passed a resolution, asking its committee on finance, the conduct full scale probe into the alleged distortion