IMPREST

Definition.

1101 - The term imprest, is applicable to all sums advanced to oficers of the government to meet expenditure under the current Estimates, for which vouchers cannot be presented immediately to the Accountant-General or a Sub-Accounting Officer for payment.

Imprest Warrant.

1102 - Imprests are issued by the Accountant-General and the Accounting Officers of Self-Accounting Ministries/Extra-Ministerial Departments.The authority for issuing Imprests is conveyed in the Annual General Imprest Warrant issued by the Commissioner of Finance to the Accountant-General. (see Appendix 9).

Imprest moneys not to be issued until Imprest Warrant signed by Comm. for Finance

1103 - The Accountant-General will advise Accounting Officers when he receives the General Imprest Warrant signed by the Commissioner of Finance and no imprest moneys may be issued until that authority has been received.

Classes of Imprest

1104-Imprests are of two classes, namely:

a) Standing Imprests which may be replenished from time to time Classes of during the financial year concerned by submitting paid Imprest.vouchers to the Sub-Accounting Officer for reimbursement.

b) Special imprests granted for a particular purpose which must be retired in full within the period allowed or when the service is completed.

Application for imprest

1105-Applications for imprests should be made to the Accountant- Application General or in the case of a self-accounting department, to the for imprest.Accounting Officer and should state the amount and purpose for which required.

Issue and recording of imprest.

1106-Authorities for issue of imprests will be given, and payments of imprests effected on a Departmental Imprests Warrant (Treasury Form 9) and a copy of each Warrant will be sent to the Auditor-General. All imprests issued and retirements of imprests, will be recorded in a special imprest ledger. Issues and retirals will be classified to "Imprests" General Ledger Account, name and designation of officer. The number of the Imprest Warrant will be

1107-a)Every imprest holder will keep a cash book and will record therein all receipts and payments. This applies also to imprests for from telegrams and postage.

b) All imprest payments will be supported by Sub Receipt (Treasury Form 10).

c) Vouchers will be classified to the Heads and Sub-head of the approved Estimates and the imprest holder will retain a copy of each voucher.

d) Entries will be made in the cash book on the day they occur and will show particulars of each receipt or payment.

e) The cash book will be regularly balanced and ruled off, and the cash on hand regularly checked by a senior officer,who will certify the cash book accordingly. Accounting Officers will issue instructions concerning the frequency,having due regard to the size of the imprest and the number of payments made.

f) The cash in bank as shown by the cash book will be regularly reconciled with the bank statement, and the Reconciliation Statements duly certified by a senior office:.

g) A record will be kept of vouchers which have been submitted for reimbursement,and reimbursement moneys will be brought to account immediately they are received.

h) Imprest cash will be kept separate from other moneys at all times.

i) The provision of Regulations. 903 or 904 as appropriate will apply with regard to the custody of imprest cash.

j) The duty of maintaining the imprest cash and cash book may not be delegated to an officer on a salary lower than Assistant Executive Officer (Accounts).The delegated officer must also be conversant with the book-keeping procedure for postingand balancing the cash book.(see Appendix 2 for specimen cash book rulings).

1108-Imprest holders must duly observe all regulations the control of expenditure and the disbursement of public money and are responsible for the correctness of vouchers signed by them (see Regulation 510).They are also responsible for ensuring the early submission of paid vouchers for reimbursement. The imprest may be used only for the purpose for which it is issued.Imprest holders may not use for imprest purposes other public monies which may come into their possession. Such moneys must be kept separate and be accounted for in full.

Bank accounts.

1109 - where an imprest id for 20,000.00 or more, the imprest holder must open a bank account in his official designation (see Chapter 8), Official bank accounts may also be opened for imprests of less than N20,000 if considered desirable. Imprest bank accounts must not be overdrawn. Sub - Accounting Officers may cash cheques drawn on imprest bank accounts. The Imprest Holder is responsible for the safe custody of the cheque book.

Reimbursement of imprest

1110-To obtain reimbursement of amounts paid from an imprest the Reimbursem holder will submit the properly completed and receipted payment ent of vouchers for the amount expended to the Sub-Accounting Officer who imprest.issued the imprest. The vouchers will be classified direct to the expenditure heads concerned and not to "Imprest". The replenishment must not exceed the amount of the expenditure vouchers submitted.Replenishment of amount paid from Imprest will be effected at least once a month.

Retirement of imprests

1111-a) All standing imprests must be retired on or before the 31st December of the financial year in which they are issued. Special imprests will be retired within the period allowed or immediately the reasons for which they were granted cease to exist whichever is the earlier. Retirement will be effected by the production of vouchers and/or cash for the full amount of the imprest.

b) If an imprest is retired at a station other than that in which the Warrant is drawn, the officer to whom the imprest was issued must immediately notify his Ministry or Department and the Sub-Accounting Officer who issued the Imprest, stating the number of the Warrant and date, number and amount of relative Receipt Voucher.It is the responsibility of the Sub-Accounting Officer who issued the imprest to verify the Receipt Voucher particulars.

c) All Self-Accounting Ministries/Extra-Ministerial Departments will submit to the Accountant-General within twenty-one days of the end of the financial year a return showing details of imprests issued and particulars of the vouchers (receipts or adjustments)by which the imprests were retired.

Imprests accounted for after end of financial year.

1112-Sub-Accounting Officers and imprest Holders are required to see that all imprests are retired in accordance with Regulation 1111(a)

Suitable arrangements should be made to ensure that all vouchers submitted for reimbursement are passed before the end of the financial year.However,if in special circumstances completed vouchers cannot be submitted in time, the imprest Holder will pay his cash balance to the Sub-Accounting Officer on or before the 31st December,of the financial year and will forward the vouchers when completed to the Accountant-General (or Accounting Officer concerned) who will include them by journal entry in the year's accounts. Should repayment not be made in full, any shortage will be charged to an advance account in the name of the Imprest Holder who will be personally responsible for refunding the shortage.

inspection of imprest accounts

1113-The accounts of imprest Holders are subject to inspection the Accountant-General.

Annual Allocation of imprest

1114 -At the beginning of every financial year, Accounting Officers shall submit proposals to the Accountant-General for the bulk amount required for imprest purposes. After approval by the Accountant-General,Accounting Officers will in turn allocate funds to their Heads of Department or Formations in accordance with needs, and details of such allocations shall be forwarded to the Accountant-General's Office for information.