FG lost over N7bn to non-remittance by NAFDAC —Lawmaker

Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, James Faleke, says the Federal Government has lost over N7bn to under-remittance by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control.

Faleke spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at an interactive session organised by the Joint Committee on Finance, Appropriation, National Planning and Economic Development; and Aids, Loans and Debt Management on the 2021-2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.

He said, “In the past few weeks, we have been talking about Chinese loans when the money is there in the system. We have the money in Nigeria but we are not doing the needful.

“We are not remitting what we are supposed to remit. The private sector will not remit the taxes and you, government agencies, being paid salaries, will not remit.

“Where will the government get money to fund the capital projects when we have deficit budget every year.

“I don’t think it is fair on the system. An agency came here and said they will generate N100m but will spend N130m; how?”

The committee said it had discovered that NAFDAC had failed to remit revenue of about N10bn to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, as the agency claimed to have spent the money on inspection of factories belonging to its clients, who wanted to either establish a factory or want to import products.

The Director, Administration and Human Resources, NAFDAC, Joseph Aina, who represented the Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency obtained the permission of the Budget Office of the Federation to spend the money generated through its User Fee platform.

Faleke, however, said, “The fact that you have a shortfall in releases does not empower you to spend your IGR. Tell Madam (Adeyeye) that we will not take it.

“She is there to reform the system and we trust that she will do that. But you cannot spend the IGR the way you like. If you do that, the accounting officer can be prosecuted and we as National Assembly will see to that.”