Abeg, gather here make we gist! Na for Abuja wey House of Representatives Committee on Finance don land their wahala for NBET CEO, Mr. Johnson Akinowo, over N4.10bn wey dem use as regulatory income last year. The way dem dey raise eyebrow for this matter na serious thing o!
Mr. Abiodun Faleke, wey be the chairman of the committee, don express serious concern, as e note say plenty money dem don spend wey no too clear how e take happen. For instance, dem don chop N377.03m on welfare packages alone, while dem budget na N377.658m, so wetin be all dis na? Dem self dey wonder wetin happen to the N76.93m wey disappear under ‘other expenses’ wey dey show for the budget too.
But dat no be all, o! Committee members dey vex say NBET no follow instruction wey the Chief of Staff talk about the overseas travel ban. Na N470.12m dem use travel abroad for training wey no even dey reach the approved N479.85m! Na wah o, as we dey talk—serious gbege dey here!
The guy Akinowo dey try defend demself, say every trip wey dem make get SGF or Head of Service approval. E even use example like World Bank Spring Meeting wey dem need presence for nigeria international financial matter. But wetin you go talk when people dey ask why you dey spend money wey plenty pass wetin una suppose chop?
As dem still dey reason am, dem don find say dem spend N1.78bn on personnel costs alone! This one no dey small at all, and lawmakers don dey raise alarm say dem no see any revenue report for December 2025 wey supposed show for their document.
Akinowo no just sit down; e defend say e matter dey procedural. E talk say if you issue invoice for December, e fit no dey due until January or February before dem fit pay am. Na so law go take play di game, but democracy no wan hear all dis wahala wey dey follow am.
As committee don finish discuss, dem take step to make omnibus request, meaning say dey go ask for all documents from NBET wey show every kobo wey dem spend for 2025. Plus any approval wey dem don get from presidency, because this matter need clarity! E be like say dem budget for 2026 go dey suspended until dem hear from Accountant-General for 10th February.
Na so e be, this NBET palava don turn serious matter wey dey give lawmakers koko to dey side-eye dem financial mismanagement and budget shakara. Despite all the money wey don dey drop, power matter still dey remain for ground as liquidity and payment obligations dey show face!
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