Car Talk
Nigerian Senate Probes Agency’s Sale Of Two Prado SUV For N1.5m
The Senate Public Accounts Committee has commenced investigation into the alleged sale of two Prado Sport Utility Vehicles worth N31m for N1.5m by officials of the Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The committee discovered the transaction while scrutinising the 2015 to 2018 Auditor General’s report currently being treated by both chambers of the National Assembly.
The SUV, according to the AuGF report, were procured in 2013 and 2014 respectively but were sold three years after they were procured.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Mathew Urhoghide, at the resumed sitting of the panel of Wednesday, expressed shock when the current Executive Director of the institute, D. Alhassan Bibinu told the committee that he was using a refurbished Hilux as official car.
The AuGF had issued a query based on the inability of the management of the institute to provide reasons for the ridiculous sale of the SUVs.
The query reads partly, “The management of the Institute could not account for two Toyota Prado jeeps which were purchased in 2013 and 2014 with number plate, 45KOIFG, for one jeep while the other had not been registered.
“No reason was given for not registering the second Prado jeep. In addition, a Toyota Hiace bus with the number plate, 45KO3FG, could not be accounted for during the audit.
“This is a violation of Financial Regulation 2128 which states that “Every public officer is personally and pecuniarily responsible for government property under his control or in his custody.”
The institute in its response said, “The vehicle (Prado jeep) was purchased on 21st March, 2014 at the cost of N18.7m and the former Executive Director, Dr Oluwasina Olabanji, sought the approval of ARCN for boarding the vehicle to the former chairman governing board, Mr Yakubu Tsala, at the cost of N750, 000 only”
On the Second Prado jeep which was purchase at cost of N12.4m, the Institute said, “The Prado jeep was purchased on 18th September 2013 at the cost of N12.4m and request for approval to board the vehicle and was written to ARCN dated on June 7th, 2017.”
The committee ordered the institute to come with the former executive director who allegedly gave the order for selling of two jeeps.