How AGF Faulted Minister’s Payment Request Procedure, Urges MDAs To Adhere To Requisite Steps Of Financial Transactions

The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein has confirmed faulting the process through which the Minister of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu, demanded payment into alleged private account.

It would be recalled that SaharaReporters on Friday reported that Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to send public funds to a private account. 

The reported private account allegedly belongs to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister. 

A letter from the minister with reference number: FMHAPA/HQ/OHM/S.208 to the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Madein dated December 20, 2023, had asked that over N585 million should be sent to a private account. 

However, in her reaction to the media reports on Saturday on the controversy raised, Dr. Madein clarified that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) had informed the Minister that it does not make payments on behalf of MDAs for projects and programmes implemented by the MDAs.

The AGF in a statement by the Director Press, OAGF, Bawa Mokwa, stated that allocations are released to self-accounting MDAs in line with the budget and such MDAs are responsible for the implementation of their projects and payments for such projects.

According to the statement, AGF explained that “although her Office received the said request from the Ministry, it did not carry out the payment. The Ministry was however advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.”

The AGF noted that “in such situations, payments are usually processed by the affected Ministries as self-accounting entities and no bulk payment is supposed to be made to an individual’s account in the name of Project Accountant.”

She added that such payment should be sent to the beneficiaries through their verified bank accounts.

Dr. Madein reiterated her determination to uphold the principles of accountability and transparency in the management of public finances.

She advised MDAs to always ensure that the requisite steps are taken in carrying out financial transactions.