No monitoring mechanism for revenue leakages -AGF

Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, declared that the Federal government does not have the required robust platform of monitoring revenues inflows of the various revenue generating agencies of government .

Idris lamented that this has affected effective blockage of various loopholes of revenue leakages happening across the various revenue generating agencies.

Accountant General’s admittance of lack of robust mechanism of monitoring revenue inflows of the various agencies and blocking of leakages was in response to questions fired at him by members of the Senate Committee on Finance to that effect.

Specifically, the committee Chairman, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC Lagos West), asked the AGF whether his office has any mechanism of monitoring revenue inflows of the various revenue generating agencies and by extension blocking the leakages in the system.

Responding, the AGF said: “We don’t have any monitoring mechanism for now aside the Treasury Single Account, TSA platform, which is not robust enough for the mechanism you are requesting for .

“We are trying to work out a robust mechanism to monitor revenue inflows of the entire 300 revenue generating agencies in blocking loopholes of revenue Leakages.

“But for now , through the TSA, revenue inflows of about 60 out of the 300 revenue generating agencies are being well monitored,” he said.

Irked by his submission , the Committee Chairman and other members like Senators Ayo Akinyelure ( PDP Ondo Central), Adamu Aliero ( APC Kebbi Central) , Opeyemi Bamidele ( APC Ekiti Central) etc, wondered why only 60 out out 300 revenue generating agencies , are being monitored.

“This is unacceptable and very injurious to efforts being made for revenue generation in financing the N12.6trillion 2021 budget.

“Robust mechanism that will cover all the 300 affected agencies must be put up if government desire of blocking leakages is to be taken seriously,” the chairman said

He also kicked against monopolistic usage of REMITA platform for revenue collection in the country , saying ” using it as the sole platform , is not acceptable

“We need more formidable platforms for revenue collection because there are a lot of complaints about REMITA.

“REMITA to a large extent, has failed in the cumbersome assignment given to it . It can not remain as the some online revenue monitoring mechanism for the Federal Government,” he said .

The AGF however informed the committee that efforts are being made by his office in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to bring on board more online revenue monitoring platforms .