Audit Report: House Summons Accountant General over MDAs’ 2020 Financial Accounts

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has summoned the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Okolieaboh Sylva over the failure of his office to lay the 2020 audit reports of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government before the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Wole Oke, who issued the summon at the resumed hearing on queries raised against MDAs by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation, frowned at the development, saying it was affecting the work of the parliament.

According to Oke, “As the ninth Assembly is winding down, we need to double efforts at looking into all the reports already laid before the House. Right now, we have completed work on those from 2017 and our reports are already in the press after which we will lay the reports before the whole House for official consideration.

“That is why we are inviting the Accountant General of the Federation to come before this Committee to tell us while he is yet to lay the 2020 audited reports of the MDAs before the parliament.

“We need to listen to him to know where the problem is coming from so that we can wade in to resolve whatever hindrance affecting the presentation.

“The ICPC has confirmed that the 2022 budget was padded by the Executive arm by several billions of naira, do we wind the country down? No, what we need to do is to redouble our efforts at revenue generations as well check the books of the MDAs.”

The Committee Chairman, however warned all the heads of the MDAs who had refused to appear before it over audit queries raised against them to retrace their steps and do the needful in their own interest.