The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has faulted the analysis of the 2017 audit report of the Auditor General for the Federation (AuGF).
During a media brief held Wednesday in Abuja, the Executive Director, Centre for Social Justice, Mr Eze Onyekpere, said the report was released after 19 months, just a month short of meeting the 18 months international standard.
He said 160 agencies defaulted in submission of their audited accounts for 2016, while 265 agencies defaulted in that of 2017.
According to him, 11 agencies consistently failed to submit any financial statements since inception, even as he said the implication of the foregoing is that the incidence of defaults instead of decreasing, is increasing.
He said: “The first point to note is that the report of the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF) 2017 is dated July 22, 2019 being 19 months after the end of the financial year to which it relates. It is just one month short of meeting the 18 months international standard.
“The second issue is about the number of defaulting agencies that have not submitted audited accounts. 160 agencies defaulted in submission of audited accounts for 2016; 265 agencies defaulted in submission of audited accounts for 2017.
“Also,11 agencies have never submitted any financial statements since inception. The implication of the foregoing is that the incidence of defaults decreasing, is increasing.
“Proposals for new audit legislation has been before the national assembly for 14 years and when it was passed by NASS, three succeeding presidents, including the incumbent, refused to give assent for the bill to become law.
“Essentially, the report is a litany of woes evidencing the poor management and unaccountability of the federal fiscal system,” he said.
