Auditor-General flags N33.75bn transfers to unverified beneficiaries

The Auditor-General of the Federation has raised concerns over transfers totalling N33.75 billion made to 3,295,207 households through the National Cash Transfer Office in Abuja for the 2023 financial year. The report highlighted weaknesses in the office's internal control system, as electronic transfers did not contain full beneficiary details, and the required reconciliation statement was unavailable for audit.

This hinders the authentication of payments and makes it difficult to verify if beneficiaries were genuine. The auditors identified risks of public fund loss and payments to ineligible or fictitious persons, recommending that the N33.75 billion be accounted for and possibly recovered and remitted to the Treasury if not satisfactorily accounted for.

The report also queried N36.74 billion in payments made without prepayment audit, including 215 payment vouchers in December 2023, and N4.616 billion in payments from the S&S/IDA Cash Book without presented vouchers. Additionally, the auditor noted N350.18 million in unsubstantiated funds disbursed to state coordinators and N393.71 million in unused enrolment funds returned by nine State Cash Transfer Units without proper documentation.