Reps To Audit MDAs

By Oduyemi Odumade

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, PAC has been urged to intensify effort towards auditing more government agencies to curb leakages.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu gave the charge at the unveiling of the Public Accounts Committee of the 10th Assembly and Leadership Training for PAC Members in Abuja.

The Deputy Speaker also urged the federal government to commit 1% of the annual budget to the Auditor General’s office to ensure adequate oversight.

According to him, the resources available to the office of the Auditor General is not sufficient to get the job done

“We are committed, as a people with the power purse to review the budget of the Auditor General’s office. Unless we don’t want the 900 MDAs to be well audited. The issue has been lack of adequate resources. How do you explain that the Auditor General’s office having 1,300 grade level 8 staff in the whole nation? It’s not sufficient. They came down from 2,000 employees to 1,300. If they must get the job done, at least let’s push them back to 2,000 employees so that all these MDAs would be well covered.

He also urged the Committee to deepen its engagement with the executive arm of government to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies uphold the principles of accountability, transparency and prudence in the management of public funds.

The Chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam, said PAC is committed to making sure that it digitalizes its activities, adding that the committee expects to have a 100% review of Public Accounts.

Mr Salam stressed the need for the appointment of a substantive Auditor General for Nigeria as the person acting in that capacity has over stayed.

He added that it is important to pass the Public Account Implementation Tribunal Bill for trial of offenders.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Development Study Cente, ADSC, Victor Walsh Oluwafemi, said the unveiling was an opportunity for all to come together and work towards a common goal of strengthening the oversight role of the Public Accounts Committee in the 10th House of Representatives through capacity development.

Edited By Grace Namiji