The Senate Committee on Public Accounts (SPAC) has given the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and 22 other revenue generating agencies, seven days ultimatum to submit their audited accounts.
Having defaulted in the past, the 25 federal agencies were warned not to toy with the directive of the committee on the need for submission of their audited account records encompassing their income and expenditure operations from 2017 to 2019.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mathew A. Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), gave the marching order during a press briefing at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
He said by the directive, the affected agencies were given the last opportunity to respond to the call for submission of their audited accounts.
He said making public, the accounts of the agencies was necessary in order to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of public funds as well as guarantee economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
Defaulting agencies, according to Urhoghide are; Office of the Accountant-General of the‘Federation, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria, Niger Delta Development Commission, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, and Nigerian Investment Promotion Council.
Also on the list are; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Football Federation, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, National Space Research & Development Agency, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Petroleum Equalization Fund Management) Board, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs , Presidential Amnesty Programmé.
Others are; Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Nigeria Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigerian Railway Corporation, and National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Urhoghide said ultimatum to the affected public agencies became necessary on account of their refusal to honour earlier requests made to that effect by the committee.
He said, “The Senate Public Accounts Committee issued correspondences to relevant Institutions of government seeking their responses to enable the Committee carry out special oversight functions in line with Sections 85, 88 & 89 of the Constitution of the .Federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Order 97(5) of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 as amended.
“In the light of this, all the defaulting Agencies are by this notice, given the last opportunity to make submissions before their invitation to the scheduled Public Hearings.
“In view of the fact that some Agencies have already defaulted in their submission deadline, notice is hereby issued to defaulting MDAs and other organisations of government, to without further delay, make submissions within seven (7) days that is , 27 November, 2019 on their responses to the issues raised by the Committee m its various correspondences regarding their income and expenditure operations from 2017 to 2019.”
