Lawmakers Order Accountant General to Provide List of MDAs Involved in N600bn Extra-budgetary Expenditure

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) yesterday commenced investigation into how 115 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government incurred over N600 billion extra-budgetary expenditures on salary and wages.

The investigation followed the audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation from 2018 till date.

The audit query had observed that 203 MDAs exceeded their personnel budget by N641 ,757455,172. 01 while 115 MDAs had zero personnel cost even though there was budget allocation for them.

“The sources of extra funds for salaries and wages in 103 were not disclosed, Also, the reasons for zero Personnel budget allocation for the 115 MDAs were not stated despite the fact that the MDAs under defence had annual budgets approved for them.

“The office of the Accountant General of the Federation should investigate the Sources of the extra budgetary expenditures and reasons for non-compliance with down financial regulations,” it had stated.

Speaking at the hearing, attended by the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Sylva Okolieaboh, the Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Wole Oke frowned at the defence that some of the expenditures were incurred based on existing circulars and directives.

Oke said, “this is an aberration of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, clear rape of financial regulation and Public Procurement Act; nobody has the power to appropriate any money to any MDAs except the National Assembly through the budget from the Mr. President.

“Before the passage of Mr. President’s appropriation bill, it has to pas through stages and after the passage, it has to be returned to the Mr President for his ascent

“But we have discovered a situation where some Ministers and heads of MDAs are fond of approving several millions of naira for spending without such coming to the parliament but relying on circulars and directives, this is illegal and we are going to stop.”

Consequently, the lawmaker directed the Accountant General of the Federation to make available the list of 115 MDAs involved in the spending to appear on November 9th.

Earlier, Okolieaboh lauded the hands of cooperation being extended to his office by the parliament since he assumed office.

He pledged that all invitations from the parliament would receive prompt responses from his office in the National interest.