The House of Representatives has mandated the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, to urgently appoint a substantive Auditor-General for the Area Councils in line with the provisions of the law.
This resolution was passed during the resumed hearing of the House Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun), who expressed concern over the non-submission of financial reports by the Area Councils.
Some of the identified infractions include the non-submission of audited financial reports for 2023–2024, the non-remittance of pension deductions to the Pension Commission (PENCOM), and the failure to submit available audited reports to the Committee.
While responding to the audit queries, the Acting Auditor-General for FCT Area Councils, Mr. Abdullahi Salihu, explained that most of the infractions highlighted by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (oAuGF) occurred under previous administrations, as he has been in office in an acting capacity for only six months.
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In his remarks, Rep. Bamidele Salam emphasized the need for the House to intervene and address the issue. He noted that when the House resumed in October 2023, the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation had been vacant for about two years due to the failure of former President Muhammadu Buhari to make an appointment, which resulted in a lack of submitted audit reports. He recalled how he and his Senate counterpart had to write letters to the President advocating for action, which eventually led to the appointment of a substantive Auditor-General. Given the similarities in the current situation, he stressed the need to intervene by writing to the Minister to understand why the appointment has not been made and to push for a resolution on the matter.
Hon. Billy Osawaru urged the Committee to enforce the full weight of the law on the Office of the Auditor-General for the identified infractions, insisting that such negligence must not continue.
Meanwhile, a five-member subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Tochukwu Okere, was mandated to thoroughly investigate the matter and make recommendations. Other members include Hon. Ajiya Abdulrahman, Hon. Mandara Usman, Hon. Mauruff Adebayo, and Hon. Mohammed Bargaja.
Among the stakeholders invited by the Committee were the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, and the Chairman of Bwari Area Council, Hon. John Gabaya, while the Chairmen of Kuje and Kwali Area Councils were represented by their vice chairmen.
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