A governance watchdog has pushed back against allegations of missing billions from Nigeria's Universal Service Provision Fund. The Northern Coalition for Accountability and Public Trust says SERAP's claims don't add up.
SERAP recently asked President Bola Tinubu to investigate claims that ₦26.9 billion disappeared from the USPF. The group wants Communications Minister Dr Bosun Tijani and USPF Secretary Yomi Arowosafe to explain what happened to the funds.
Another coalition also threatened mass protests if the officials don't account for the money. But NCAPT's Executive Director, Amb.
Abubakar Yusuf Yaro, dismissed the allegations on Wednesday.
He described them as exaggerated and lacking proper context. Available records tell a different story, he argued.
"Simple arithmetic raises a legitimate question," NCAPT's statement noted. How can an institution with average yearly funding of ₦7.5 billion suddenly lose ₦26.9 billion?
The math simply doesn't work, NCAPT insisted. More than ₦13.8 billion of that amount relates to operating surplus deductions anyway.
Those deductions are handled directly by the Nigerian Communications Commission before money reaches the USPF. The fund never receives or keeps those monies in the first place, records show.
NCAPT stressed that all procurement processes cited in the allegations went through proper channels. The Bureau of Public Procurement and relevant tender boards approved everything, it said.
Payments followed certification procedures backed by documentation and evidence. Nothing improper happened here, NCAPT contended.
Previous audits by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee found no irregularities during the same period. Why launch new allegations now, NCAPT asked pointedly.
The organization accused SERAP of conducting a media trial. Such tactics damage institutional credibility and mislead Nigerians, it warned.
NCAPT noted that audit observations aren't final proof of wrongdoing. They're simply queries requiring clarification through proper institutional channels.
"What Nigerians witnessed appears closer to a public conviction campaign," the statement read. "It's not a genuine search for accountability."
Responsible civic groups should seek clarification from all parties before publishing damaging conclusions. SERAP should know this principle better than most organizations.
Balance, verification, and fairness must guide genuine accountability efforts. Public interest demands nothing less, NCAPT emphasized.
