The Senate has sustained a query issued against the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital over an alleged spending of N167m without following due process.

The Senate Public Accounts Committee chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide relied on the 2016 report of the Auditor General for the Federation to take its decision at its last sitting on Friday.

The AuGF had established an alleged mismanagement of public funds totalling N167m against the UITH in Kwara State.

The AuGF in its report claimed that the UITH allegedly paid N63m into the accounts of its officials to carry out procurement related activities.

The report noted that relevant guidelines stipulated that procurement in such category must not exceed N200,000.

In another query considered by the committee concerning the UITH said payment vouchers totaling N94m were not supported with relevant documents.

The first query read, “A total of N63,995,618 was paid to officers to carry out procurement-related activities in excess of the approved limit of N200,000.

READ ALSO NYSC generates N511m operating surplus for Federation Account

“Considering the amounts involved, relevant due process should have been followed by issuing local purchase order or job order to contractors.

“The management did not  take into  cognizance  the  provision  of  Circular  No.  TRY/A2  &B2/2009  of  24th  March,  2009.

“The circular states that, all accounting officers and officers controlling expenditure are to ensure  that  all  local  procurement  of  stores  and  services  costing  above  N200,000.00 shall be made only through  award of  contract.”

The Chief Medical  Director  was reported to have said  the  nature of  the  hospital’s  operation  may  not  permit  strict  compliance  with  the  threshold, especially in  emergency cases involving  life.

The report added that several cases of abuse of internal controls were observed.