•Hires 18 consultancy firms
After one year in office, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has commenced a comprehensive probe of income and expenditure of its important revenue generating agencies between 2010 and 2015.
Through the Office of Accountant General of the Federation, Federal Government, on Wednesday, flagged off the process that will be carried out by 18 audit consultancy firms to comprehensively review financial activities of its most important revenue generating agencies and parastatals in the last five years.
In the first phase of the probe, 33 agencies divided into categories A and B will be involved in an operation which will last 18 months.
Flagging off the audit at an interactive with the 18 consultancy firms in his office, Director of Funds in the Office of Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Alhaji Salau Zubairu, who represented his boss, said the first category comprised of eight agencies with a turnover of above N100 billion and category B, which involves 25 agencies, with a turnover of below N100 billion.
The Process Audit, according to him, would cover the period of 2010 till 2015.
The auditors are to undertake a critical review of the financial statements of the organisations and confirm the sources and quantum of funding received from government (whether loans, subventions, grants, etc.) and reconcile with treasury records.
They will also “review the sources of revenues accruing to the organisations and the effectiveness of revenue generation and accounting.
“Study in detail the enabling laws establishing the organisations, with a view to identifying possible constraints and areas of improvement.
“Establish the cost of operations and make appropriate recommendations to understand real and personnel cost profile, understand contractual recurrent expenses, understand cost associated with revenue collection or revenue sharing arrangements.
“Determine the amount of remittances made to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) over the last five years in the form of operating surplus, revenue dividends.
“Determine the extent of compliance with extant regulations regarding the adequacy and regularity of remittances to the CRF.
“Identify all income and interest thereon.
“Make adequate recommendations on the future management of the organisations,” Zubairu disclosed.
He said the auditing was in line with the Federal Government’s agenda to institutionalise fiscal discipline, transparency, probity and accountability in the management of public finances.
Zubairu emphasised that the assignment would enable government to assess the true state of its revenue generation, capital and recurrent (personnel and overhead) expenditure across the MDAs and also help the Federal Government to reach better decisions in view of the dwindling inflow of revenue.
He urged the consultants to be effective and professional while carrying out their assignment and to ensure that young qualified Nigerians are engaged to assist them during this assignment.
Zubairu emphasised that the recruitment of youths by the companies would enhance the quality of results from the organisations and also be one of the criteria that would define future their relations with such organisations.
Furthermore, the AGF, through his representative, assured the consultants of the support and assistance of the OAGF in discharging their duties, but stressed that their activities would be closely monitored by experienced staff of the OAGF to ensure that government got value for money.