The Secretary of the Department of Defence (DOD) has come out to fully clarify on the K15 million Commercial Support Program (CSP) funds, to put to rest the misinformation circulated on social media recently by members of the Defence Force, regarding its existence in the Trust Account. The DOD Secretary, Mr. Hari John Akipe in a press conference on Tuesday stated that the funds are still in the CSP Trust Account where it had been for the past years since the creation of a commercial arm for the Defence Force. By way of background, Secretary Akipe said that in 2012 the National Executive Council (NEC) approved the establishment of a Defence Commercial Company on the 18th of October that year. “Prelude to this, the Minister for Finance approved for an account to be opened at BSP Bank through a Trust Deed on the 11th of September 2014. The intention was to migrate the CSP to the Defence Company,” stated Mr. Akipe. However, when he assumed office, he discovered that vital components for practical financial management were not in place that would safeguard the Trust Fund and the operations have also diverted away from the original intentions. “Consequently, I requested Finance Secretary to freeze expenditure to the Trust Account to ensure the CSP Trust Account comply to the Trust Deed, put in place proper governance structure or mechanism and employ essential financial process requirements, including annual budget, work plan, operational plan, and approval and the expenditure of the funds.” That decision by the Secretary left the fund in the Trust Account without being accessed for some time and had accumulated. “I want to inform all of us that in the last three years, since the fund was frozen on the February of 2020, as at September 2023 the fund has amounted to K16, 537, 405. 23.” "I want to inform all of us also that the Defence Council has protected and gurded the Commercial Support Program from abuse thus far and continues to do so. It will also strive to ensure that the funds are properly utilized so as to maximize returns to the force,” the Secretary assured.