Appoint Auditor General For Area Councils – PAC Directs Wike

The House of Representatives has mandated the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike to urgently appoint a substantive Auditor-General for the Area Councils in line with the provision of the law.

This was sequel to a resolution passed at the resumed hearing of the Public Accounts Committee, PAC, during which the committee observed that the vacuum stalled the signing and transmission of reports of audited accounts to it as enshrined in the constitution.

While taking a presentation from the Acting Auditor General for the Area Councils, Mr. Abdullahi Ibn Salihu, the chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam observed that the issue needed their intervention prompting a motion to be moved to that effect.

Earlier, while fielding questions from the committee on the area councils financial report, Mr. Abdullahi explained that most of the infractions were committed in past administrations since he is barely 6-months in the office in an acting capacity.

Issues that were identified as infractions include non-submission of audited financial reports from 2023-2024; non-remittance of pension deductions to the Pension Commission (PENCOM) and non-submission of the available audited reports to the committee.

Meanwhile, a 5-member sub-committee chaired by Honourable Tochukwu Okere was put in place to thoroughly investigate the matter and make recommendations.

Other members of the sub-committee include: Ajiya Abdulrahman; Mandara Usman; Mauruff Adebayo, and Mohammed Bargaja.

The FCT Area Council Chairmen in attendance were those of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu and that of Bwari, Hon. John Gabaya, while Kuje and Kwali were represented by their vice chairmen.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji