RECENTLY, for the umpteenth time, the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation queried the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAS) over malfeasance. As a matter of fact, such queries have become routine in the last few years when the MDAs have basked in mind-boggling corruption while the Muhammadu Buhari administration talks tough about cleaning up the system but does nothing concrete to address the bourgeoning rot. For instance, in a report being considered by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, the Auditor General queried the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for printing awareness leaflets on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for the sum of N98.4 million without due process, and the committee also discovered that N39 million was paid into the accounts of two members of staff in the ministry for “project monitoring” within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
It will be recalled that in October last year, worried about the increasing wave of non-response to audit queries and absence of cooperation with the office of the Auditor General by some heads of MDAs, the Federal Government said it was adopting measures that would strengthen the independence of auditors. This declaration was made by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo while speaking at a training workshop for Federal Audit Staff in Abuja. Osinbajo, who lamented that auditors often faced difficulties in their duties because audit queries were often not responded to, noted that the lapse was worsened by the absence of sanctions for the derelictions. He promised legislation “to provide greater independence to the apex audit institution, adding that an audit law might be required to strengthen the legislative framework for external audit. According to him, “We simply do not have the fiscal buffers to be careless about, the management of public revenues and resources. Osinbajo indicated that as part of measures to tackle some of the issues, the administration had embarked on reformation of the Office of the Auditor General, especially with the introduction of Audit Methodology and International Standards of Audit, including the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
In February last year, the then Auditor General, Anthony Ayine, had submitted the 2017 audit report of the MDAs to the National Assembly with a recommendation that the financial allocations to defaulting agencies be withheld. In the Executive Summary submitted to the Senate Public Accounts Committee, the Auditor General said, “stringent sanctions, including withholding financial releases and sanction of the chief executive officer, should be imposed on defaulting agencies that do not render timely accounts as provided in the constitution, financial regulations and other relevant laws.” He added that 160 agencies defaulted in submission of audited accounts for 2016; 265 agencies defaulted in submission of audited accounts for 2017; and that eleven agencies had never submitted any financial statements since inception. As a matter of fact, in September last year, the regime of malfeasance forced the House of Representatives to grill 15 heads of MDAs over multibillion naira audit queries.
It is telling that similar reports had indicted a number of MDAS in the past without any consequences. Nigerians must be distressed over the fact that the financial breaches frequently highlighted are taking place in spite of the expected oversight functions of the National Assembly, the existence of anti-graft agencies and, what is more, the “avowed commitment “of the Buhari administration to the war against corruption. Going by the Auditor-General’s reports, even the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a body saddled with combating graft in the country, has been implicated in serial violations of financial disclosure rules. To all intents and purposes, therefore, the latest queries are yet another test of the administration’s commitment to the fight against abuse of office by public officials entrusted with state resources. It is saddening, to say the very least, that the activities of a few have, in the absence of official recompense, continued to soil the image of the country and deprive citizens of funds that should have been channelled into critical areas of need, with direct impact on the welfare and well-being of the people.
Given the continuing sleaze in the MDAs, it is no surprise that the country continues to fare very poorly on the Corruption Perception Index and other indices for measuring transparency. In any case, the Auditor-General’s queries have consistently indicted the Presidency and the National Assembly. The MDAs stink to the high heavens and it is time officials began paying for their crimes. The country cannot continue to nurture insidiously corrupt MDAs at its own expense.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
INEC Lists Five Challenges Ahead Of 2023 Elections
AS politicians step up horse-trading ahead of subsequent elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed five main areas of likely challenges…
Who Succeeds IGP Mohammed Adamu?
As the February retirement date of the incumbent Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu draws near, there are varying permutations on who steps in as the new police boss. SUNDAY ADEPOJU writes on the suspense over the…
After Two Years, Daddy Freeze Apologises To Bishop Oyedepo
Daddy Freeze whose real name is Ifedayo Olarinde has apologised to Bishop Oyedepo who is the presiding bishop and founder of Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel…