Transparency seems to be farfetched in the affairs of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR) chaired by Mr. Monday Onyeme, as millions of naira are yet to be accounted for in the 2019 expenditure of the State Taxation Agency.
Details of documents available to The Union Nigeria, a whooping sum of N107,740,000 million naira which stood part of expenditure in 2019 is still hanging as the Chief Tax Master of Delta State, Monday Onyeme and his accountants are still battling to cover up for it.
Although, rumours of financial recklessness have hovered over the tax agency for some time now, a source disclosed that the board has been able to cover up a lot until now.
What Happened To The Missing Funds?
Contained in Part four in the2019 audit report of the auditor general of delta state as updated, under section 4 subsection 3 (38) made available to The Union Nigeria, the DBIR’s total budget provision for the year 2019 was N3 billion while the actual expenditure incurred in the same period amounted to N2, 999, 810, 494.86 billion resulting in a savings of N189,505.14 million.
However, money amounting to N107,740,000 million naira or 3.6 percent of the N2,999,810,494.86 billion are unaccounted for.
As contained in a query by the auditor general, Mr Paul Aghanenu in May 14, 2020, the missing funds were paid out in a total of 28 payment vouchers.
The irregularities range from financial infractions of no audit certificate, no proper retirement and absence of approval.
Today, over a year after the Accountant General’s query, nothing is heard of the missing funds.
Recall that the Delta State House of Assembly on Wednesday December 12, 2018 passed the state 2019 Appropriation Bill of N390.3 billion.
The bill showed an increase of N23.3 billion to the initial proposed budget of N367 billion to the assembly with N209 billion for capital expenditure and recurrent expenditure of N157 billion earlier presented to the assembly by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on October 17, 2018.
Onyeme refuses To Talk
The Union Nigeria made efforts to get explanations from the Chairman DBIR, Mr. Monday Onyeme, met silence.
Text messages were sent to his line and calls were also place on his phone lines which ran severally without an answer.
Meanwhile, DBIR Secretary, Barr. Mike Edegware when contacted said, “I am sorry, I am not in a position to react to the issue of N108 million allegedly missing from the board because I know nothing about it. As secretary, my office has nothing to do with the finances of the board.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Agency was also reached. He promised to get back to The Union Nigeria. At press time, efforts to reach him were not successful.
