Politics
Cash Transfer: Auditor-General Flags ₦33.75bn In Unverified Transactions
Auditor-General’s report raises concerns over the verification of ₦33.75 billion in cash transfers made to more than 3.29 million vulnerable households across 35 states.
The Federal Government could not provide sufficient evidence to auditors that N33.75bn in cash transfers meant for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households reached genuine beneficiaries, the Auditor-General for the Federation has said.
This was contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
The report, which reviewed transactions at the National Cash Transfer Office in Abuja for the 2023 financial year, raised eight audit queries involving billions of naira and identified weaknesses in the office’s internal control system.
According to the report, electronic transfers totalling N33.751bn were made to 3,295,207 households and beneficiaries drawn from the National Social Register and enrolled on the National Beneficiary Register across 35 states in 2023.
However, the auditors said the paid vouchers did not contain the full details of the beneficiaries, while the Remita statement required to reconcile those who received payments with persons listed on the NSR and NBR was not presented for examination.
“Electronic transfers amounting to N33,751,080,000.00 were made to 3,295,207 households/beneficiaries that have been mined to the NSR and enrolled on the NBR in 35 states for the year 2023,” the report said.
“The paid vouchers for the payments above did not contain the full details of the beneficiaries.
“REMITA statement showing record of the beneficiaries paid as against those listed on the NSR and NBR was not presented for audit. This hindered the authentication of the payments and made it difficult to ascertain whether the beneficiaries who received the funds were genuine.”
It added that attempts by the auditors to obtain the payment records were unsuccessful.
“All efforts to obtain access to the REMITA statement were obstructed and denied by NTCO accounts staff, thereby frustrating the audit process,” the report stated.