Senate Committee on Public Account has given the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele 72 hours ultimatum to appear before the Committee over alleged disappearance of $9.5m interest accrued from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) investment.
The principal sums deposited, the tenor and rate of interest were shrouded in secrecy, according to the Senate panel chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide .
Petroleum profit tax (PPT) is a tax applicable to upstream operations in the oil industry.
It is particularly related to rents, royalties, margins and profit sharing elements associated with oil mining, prospecting and exploration leases.
Speaking on the isssue, the Chairman of the Committee said there are many issues the CBN Governor needs to respond to corroborate some statements of account.
He added that Apex Bank Governor has till Thursday this week to appear to address those issues before the Committee.
It could be recalled that the committee had two weeks ago summoned the officials of the apex bank over alleged disappearance of the fund.
But, the Apex Bank failed to appear before the lawmakers.
The summon was sequel to the consideration of a report by Auditor-General for the Federation, which probed the spendings of federal government’s agencies.
The report had said: “During the examination of transfers to Foreign Excess PPT/Royalty and Foreign Excess Crude Accounts, it was observed that during the year 2016, amount totalling $6 million and $3.5 million were credited to the Foreign PPT/Royalty and Foreign Excess Crude Account as interest on funds investments.
“The authority for placing the funds which yielded the above interests totaling $9.5 million in deposit account, the principal sums deposited, the tenor and rate of interest were not made available for audit verification.
“This observation had also been a subject of my reports since 2017 without any positive response from Central Bank of Nigeria.
“Records made available for audit further revealed that the balance in the foreign PPT/Royaltt and Foreign Excess Crude accounts as at 28th December 2016 were USD0.00 and USD251,826 respectively.
“This suggest the foreign PPT/Royalthy was depleted before the year end.
“The Accountant General has been requested to provide the authority for the funds invested, tenor of the investment, rate unrest payable, certficate for the funds invested and forward same for audit verification.”
