Audit queries: Senate threatens 100 MDAs with zero allocation

The Senate on Wednesday threatened 100 federal government-owned agencies with zero budget allocation in 2023 for not honouring invitations of its committee on Public Accounts on queries slammed on them by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation.

The red chamber also kicked against the plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), to limit cash withdrawal by any individual to N100,000 and Corporate bodies to N500,000 per week from January 9, 2023.

The affected 100 agencies which included, the State House, Presidential Fleet, Ministry of Finance, Nigeria Army, Navy, Airforce, Police, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) etc, was sequel to a complaint lodged against them by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Mathew Urhoghide ( PDP Edo South).

Urhoghide had through orders 42 and 95 of the Senate Standing Rules, risen to complain about the alleged recalcitrance of heads of the affected agencies to honour invitations sent to them by his committee for required appearance before it on queries raised against them by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation as regards financial infractions observed in their yearly budgetary implementations.

Urhoghide who hinged his complaints on provisions of sections 62, 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended), said heads of the affected agencies failed to honour several invitations sent to them to answer queries raised against them in Audit reports forwarded to the Committee by Auditor General of the Federation.

“Mr President, heads of agencies totalling about 100, indicted in various audit reports forwarded to the Public Account Committee by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation in line with provisions of sections 62, 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, have repeatedly failed to appear before us.

“This to us is against the Constitution and policy of accountability and transparency of the federal government.

“I crave your indulgence that we invite through your order either by way of warrant of arrest or anything so that these agencies can come that we can complete our report and submit to this Senate,” he said.

Miffed by the submission, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, requested the list of the affected agencies, read them out to all Senators and ordered that they should appear before the committee within one week or risk zero budget allocation in 2023 as far as capital expenditure component is concerned.

“Your point of order is sustained fully and completely, totally sustained, you are right on the dot to bring to the plenary your grievances.

“Reading this list at plenary gives the agencies the opportunity to now know if they were not aware before for those that may claim ignorance and I am taking the opportunity here to advise that in the next one week if the name of any agency is here that agency should reach the committee on public account of the Senate to sort our when the agency would appear before the committee.

“If there is no communication whatsoever and no cogent and verifiable reasons are given, we will Slash the budget of the agencies as far as capital component is concerned.

” Heads of the affected agencies must take this very seriously because any serving public officer must be ready to render accounts on public funds and if not ready to do so, should quit since nobody should be above the law “, he stressed.

Other affected agencies are; the Office Of The Accountant General Of The Federation, Federal Ministry Of Interior, the Budget Office Of The Federation, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency, the National Commission For Refugees, Migrants And Internally Displaced Persons, Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corp, Ministry Of Defence and Office Of The Special Assistant To The President On Niger Delta Affairs.

Others are; Ministry Of Petroleum Resources, National Inland Water Ways Authority Lokoja, Federal Ministry Of Health, Presidential Amnesty Program,
Ministry Of Agriculture And Rural Development, Federal Civil Service Commission, Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, National Health Insurance Scheme, Ministry Of Communications And Digital Economy, Tertiary Education Trust Fund Tetfund, Federal Ministry Of Youth And Sport Development, Ministry Of Environment, National Hajj Commission Of Nigeria, Revenue Mobilization Allocation Fiscal Commission, Federal Ministry Of Information And Culture, Nigeria Defence Academy, National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria Centre For Disease Control, National Security Adviser, etc.

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On another development, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda ( PDP FCT) kicked against the recently announced policy by the CBN limiting cash withdrawals per week on individual and corporate organizations.

Senator Aduda in the aborted motion sought debate from all senators on the planned policy before the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan intercepted him that it was too early to debate the policy.

However, the Senate President in his reaction, said: ” As good as the cashless policy may be, it shouldn’t be jumped at, at once.

“The way CBN is going about the policy, many Nigerians would be cut off and that won’t be accepted.

“Motion on the policy will be thoroughly debated in Senate on Tuesday next week after adequate information has been gotten on it.

“Before Tuesday next week, our committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions mandated to screen the re-appointed Deputy Governors of the Central Bank, should focus its questions on the planned policy.

“The CBN Deputy Governors must be thoroughly drilled on the policy after which extensive debate on it will be made by Senators on Tuesday next week,” he said.