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Remita: Senate insists on probing alleged N25bn TSA fraud

Senate President, Bukola Saraki
Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Senate, Tuesday, vowed not to succumb to any form of intimidation in its resolve to investigate the alleged N25 billion Treasury Single Account (TSA) fraud.

Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, dropped the hint, while reacting to a motion moved by Senator Dino Melaye over a newspaper article allegedly blackmailing the Senate for pointing out the alleged fraud.

He maintained that the National Assembly would not relent in carrying out its constitutional duties, including pointing out any action that would be detrimental to Nigerians.

“No amount of either blackmail or intimidation will stop us from doing the work we have to do. We have a responsibility here to ensure that there are no leakages in government funds, and if there are, we will call the attention of the public and do whatever it takes to salvage the situation; it is our responsibility.

“The fact about the TSA will come out and everybody will have opportunity before the Committee to state the fact. The facts will speak for themselves,” he said.

Saraki said that the National Assembly would expedite action on the inauguration of Standing Committees to enable it to begin its oversight function fully.

Earlier, Melaye said that his attention was drawn to the write-up, which accused the Senate of working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort to implement TSA.

He expressed concern that the writer could conceive such an idea in spite of the National Assembly’s resolve to work with President Muhammadu Buhari in fighting corruption.

Melaye recalled that it was the National Assembly’s stand on the alleged TSA fraud that led SystemSpecs to refund the one per cent it collected from mopped up funds to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“The writer said we are against the change agenda of Mr. President because we raised the abnormality going on with the implementation of the TSA. We did not at any time in this hallowed Chamber implicate President Muhammadu Buhari of being involved in TSA fraud.

“We will not stop carrying out our legislative duties for fear of being blackmailed. The motion moved last week had two prayers.

“The first thing we did was to thank Mr. President and commend him for the implementation of the TSA, and for anyone to say the Senate is fighting Mr. President is myopic, parochial and unacceptable. I have a letter here that I am going to lay with this paper, written by the Director, Banking and Payment of CBN to the Managing Director of SystemSpecs.

“The CBN categorically stated that they should remit the one per cent that they collected. I also have a letter here by the managing director of that company to the Accountant General of the Federation and the Governor of CBN that have completely buttressed and elicited our decision last week.

“So, for people to blackmail us is irresponsible. It is not acceptable to me and the Senate.

“Never would we allow blackmail and political and economic bigot to destroy the people. We are for the people and we will stand in defending public interest. My singular prayer is that the write-up should be referred to the relevant committee for proper investigation,” he said.

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