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.
The directive which was carried out last week, according to sources, has made the commission cash strapped and unable to discharge most of its responsibilities.
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.
As a way out of the problem, the leadership of INEC on Tuesday met with representatives of the Federal Government and CBN, with a view to resolving the issue.
“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,” a source told Vanguard.
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.
