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Drama as three N49m SUVs disappear from Bank of Agric

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3 years ago

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There was mild drama during an investigative hearing by the Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) when the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, was unable to show evidence of purchase  of two Toyota Prado and one Ford Ranger Jeeps worth N49m meant for monitoring Agricultural Mechanisation  Programme of the Federal Government.

The Committee chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide had summoned Hassan based on a query raised against the agency by the Auditor-General of the Federation, Adolphus Aghughu, in his 2017 report on the alleged  missing Jeeps in the Kaduna state branch of the Bank.

However, when the Managing Director of the Bank appeared before the committee to respond to the query of the missing vehicles worth about N49million, he could not present any document to prove that the vehicles were actually bought.

Hassan only presented a letter from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, which authorised the withdrawal of the money from Agricultural Mechanization Fund to procure the vehicles.

His inability to show concrete evidence that the Jeeps were on ground further shocked the lawmakers.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Urhoghide, wondered how the MD could have paid for the vehicles without seeing them in the first instance.

The AuGF’s query reads: “The  Bank expended the  sum  of  N49,026,333.32 from  the Agricultural Mechanization  Fund specifically  meant for lending to operators, on various unrelated projects.

“For instance, the sum of N23,122,095.24  was  paid to a motor dealer through payment  voucher number  0103576 dated 29th  September, 2015 for the purchase of two  Toyota  Prado  Jeeps.

“Similarly, the sum of N25,904,238.08 was  paid  to another motor dealer for purchase of  Ford  Ranger Jeeps vide payment voucher number 0103579 of 29th September, 2015.

“These  purchases  were purportedly made  as  project vehicles for the Agricultural Mechanization Programme. The management  of the Bank could  not justify the choice and  the  use  of these exotic vehicles for  supervision. The vehicles  could also not be produced for inspection during the periodic check.

“The Managing Director should  be  compelled to account  for all  the stated motor vehicles, or  refund to Government the sum  of  N49,026,333.32.”

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