A report by the Auditor-General of the Federation has revealed that government vehicles valued at N747.75m were illegally retained by former staff of five ministries, departments, and agencies.

The findings, contained in the Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses, covered activities between 2020 and 2021.

The report highlights failures in enforcing clearance protocols designed to ensure retiring officials return all government assets in their custody.

It identified systemic lapses in asset management and oversight across the affected MDAs.

According to the report, the five MDAs where the irregularities occurred include the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc., Abuja; Public Complaint Commission, Abuja; Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja; Nigeria Immigration Service; and the Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State.

The NSPM, Abuja, accounted for the largest portion of the mismanaged vehicles, valued at N413.34m, while the Federal College of Education, Okene, recorded the least, at N24.51m.

The audit report read, “The sum of N747,749,365.06 (Seven hundred and forty-seven million, seven hundred and forty-nine thousand, three hundred and sixty-five naira, six kobo) was the amount of government vehicles held illegally by former staff/unauthorized persons in five Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

“The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc. (NSPM), Abuja, has the highest amount of N413,343,623.00 (Four hundred and thirteen million, three hundred and forty-three thousand, six hundred and twenty-three naira), while the Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State, has the least amount of N24,507,000.00 (Twenty-four million, five hundred and seven thousand naira),”

The report pointed to the non-enforcement of policies such as the Establishment Circular Ref. No. SGF.19/S.52/V/720, issued on 20th February 2017.

The circular requires all retiring officers to submit government properties in their possession before their final disengagement.

The report also cited the 2009 Financial Regulations, which mandate accounting officers to ensure proper maintenance and security of government assets.

Paragraph 2001 of the Financial Regulations stipulates that accounting officers must implement effective controls over government vehicles.

Despite these directives, the audit revealed significant breaches in compliance, resulting in the unauthorised retention of vehicles.

The findings have raised concerns about the accountability of MDAs in safeguarding public resources.

The PUNCH earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu restricted Ministers, Ministers of State, and Heads of Agencies of the Federal Government to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys.

“No additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement,” the President affirmed in a statement.