The Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu (SDP, Nasarawa West), has vowed to uphold audit queries raised by the Auditor General for the Federation against several key government agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Senator Aliyu made this declaration on Tuesday, expressing frustration that these agencies, along with the Nigeria Police Force and 12 others, have repeatedly ignored the committee’s invitations to address concerns raised in the 2019 audit report.
He stated that the refusal of these agencies to cooperate is a serious violation of oversight functions.
“Since the heads of the affected agencies have refused to respond to the queries raised against them in the 2019 audit report, despite several opportunities provided to them, the reports will now be forwarded to the Committee of the Whole,” Senator Aliyu stated.
The chairman condemned the defiance of these agencies, warning that the 10th Senate will not tolerate such behaviour.
He said that these actions undermine the goals of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Senator Aliyu also named additional agencies that have failed to comply with the committee’s invitations, including the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (formerly DPR), and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
Other non-compliant agencies include the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited.
The lawmaker stated that the committee had begun reviewing the 2019 audit report in October 2023, intending to present its findings to the Senate.
However, the non-cooperation of certain agencies has delayed this process.
“The committee is very displeased with the foot-dragging attitude of agencies that are legally required to respond to parliamentary invitations and account for their actions,” Senator Aliyu said.
“We have extended numerous invitations, but these agencies have chosen to disregard them.”
He further warned that the committee will proceed to adopt the Auditor General’s findings if the agencies continue to ignore invitations to defend their positions.
“This resolution will be added to our rules of engagement if MDAs do not improve their attendance in response to our invitations,” Senator Aliyu concluded.
