Reps direct federal fire service to refund N1.48 bn COVID-19 funds

The House of Representatives in Abuja on Wednesday directed the Federal Fire Service (FFS) to refund the sum of N1.48 COVID-19 fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund within seven days.

Rep. Bamidele Salam, Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, gave the directive in Abuja on Wednesday at a hearing probing COVID-19 intervention.

He said the accounting officer of the Fire Service should refund the said monies following the alleged refusal to honour for the fourth time the invitations from the committee to explain the spending of the COVID-19 fund.

Members of the committee expressed concerns that the fire service might be taken the constitutional committee for granted.

Meanwhile, the committee, however, gave the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, Accountant General Office, and Ministry of Agriculture the final invitation to appear before them to explain the COVID-19 funds they received.