The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has frozen all bank
accounts operated by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,
following the commission’s failure to comply with Federal Government’s
directive that all ministries, agencies and departments must operate Treasury
Single Account, TSA.
Findings by Vanguard revealed that the directive was carried
out last week.
The commission is now cash strapped and is unable to
discharge most of its responsibilities
Informed sources at the commission had revealed that INEC
had failed to comply with the government’s directives on the TSA, due largely
to the peculiar activities of the body as the nation’s electoral umpire which
should qualify it for exemption from the new directive.
It was further gathered that the decision of the governments
to freeze all accounts operated by INEC has thrown the body in a serious
dilemma because even the staff salary for September is yet to be paid just as
many contractors whose outstanding fees were yet to be paid on a daily basis
throng the commission for their payments.
However our source further revealed that the leadership of
INEC on Tuesday met with representatives of the Federal Government and CBN,
with a view to resolving the issue which he added has thrown everybody almost
off balance.
The source said, “It has not been easy at the commission
because all activities here are almost grounded following the decision of the
federal government to block all our accounts. They said that INEC has refused
to comply with the directive on Treasury Single Account. As we talk now, we
have not been able to pay workers salaries for September because we cannot have
any access to the commission’s accounts. Our numerous contractors have been
coming everyday for payments that have been due but there is no cash at hand to
settle them.
“But the good news is that the commission’s leadership has
finally met with them and they have agreed to sort out the whole matter.
Hopefully the commission will come back to life very soon and try to settle the
issue of workers salary which is very important”.
According to him, depending on the level of resolution and
funds that will be available, the issue of debts owed to contractors would also
be addressed
VANGUARD NEWS
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