AUDIT COMMITTEE SCREENS AFAS FINANCIAL RECORDS

Olu-Ojegbeje Lolade
In a meeting held on Friday, 7th May, 2021, the Audit Committee, chaired by Hon. Adebiyi Emmanuel of the History Constituency screened the financial records of the association. As at 7th May, the association’s total revenue was left at one million, two hundred and sixty one thousand, one hundred naira (#1,261,100), while the total expenditure was seven hundred and twenty nine thousand, seven hundred and five naira (#729,705).
The committee, however, discovered that the Executive had spent the sum of ninety-four thousand, six hundred and forty naira (#94,640) which was not approved by the House. This act is declared unconstitutional as it violates the provision of the constitution which allows the withdrawal of not more than #10,000 before the budgets are eventually approved.
From the # 94,640, the sum of thirty two thousand naira (#32,000) was taken for the repair of the Air Conditioner in the AFAS Secretariat. The committee placed a call to the supposed technician to ask why he had not done a job he had been paid to do. The technician however confirmed that he had not been paid, which was why he had not done the job. This raises questions as to why the technician had not been paid even though the money had been taken from the association’s purse and the financial secretary confirmed that she had given the money to the President of the association, Eniola Francis, since April. To provide an answer to the question, the president responded in a chat that the technician was paid last week and work had begun.
The House approved the sum of six hundred thousand naira (#600,000) for the subsidized data. However, the sum of six hundred and twenty six thousand naira (#626,000) was spent on data and four thousand naira (#4,000) was spent on graphics for publicity, bringing all to a sum of six hundred and thirty thousand naira (#630,000).
When asked to respond to the discrepancies, the President responded in a chat that “The initial subsidized plan given to us was reversed by MTN and a new price was given, The House was informed of the increment before payment was made”
The Chairman, audit committee, however, said that the house did not approve the extra twenty six thousand naira (#26,000) and that the President said he took the #26,000 from his personal purse. The Chairman asserted that “we questioned her [financial secretary] and she said she just added, that it wasn’t taken out of the association’s purse. We tried to calculate the whole thing and as far as we know, the money wasn’t part of the expense so far” He also pointed that #30,000 was spent on the retrieval of website, Production of AFAS receipts for #30,000, #32,000for the repair of the Air Conditioner, transportation so far, #2200, change of door lock, repair and workmanship, #2500, printing, photocopy and scanning, #1500, transport for PRO, data for PRO #2000, transport to MTN, Airtel and Glo offices #5000, all without the approval of the House.
The Audit Committee Chairman asserted that the findings will be presented to the House.