Auditor-General flags N3.62bn irregularities at power institute

The Office of the Auditor-General for Nigeria has identified financial irregularities amounting to N3.62 billion at the National Power Training Institute in Abuja. Among the issues highlighted are unremitted tender fees totaling N2.77 billion, questionable contract payments, and purchases of store items without proof of delivery.

The report, part of the 2024 Annual Report on Non-compliance, covers the period from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023. The auditors have called for the Institute's Director-General to be accountable to the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committees for the unremitted funds and to recover and remit them to the Treasury. Additionally, the auditors flagged missing financial records, under-remittance of taxes, payments for consultancy services without evidence of execution, and expenditures charged to accounts meant for constituency projects.

They also identified a N547.21 million payment for store items without evidence of delivery or receipt, and N196.59 million for three constituency projects without evidence that the contracts were executed through the proper channels. The auditors recommended that the institute account for various other expenditures, including N4.12 million in duty tour allowances, N24.4 million in administrative charges, and N22.45 million for a youth and women training program, all of which lacked proper documentation or approvals.