Reps summon acting AGF, MDAs over financial accounts

The House of Representatives has summoned the Acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Okolieaboh Sylva, for failing to lay the 2020 audit reports of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of the government.

The Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, Oluwole Oke, issued the summoned at the resumed hearing of the Committee on queries against MDAs by the office of Auditor-General of the Federation in Abuja on Tuesday.

Oke frowned at the development, declaring that it was affecting the work of the parliament at looking into the financial transactions of MDAs which he said would no longer be tolerated.

The lawmaker said: “As the 9th Assembly is winding down, we need to redouble our efforts at looking into all the reports already laid before the House.

“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.

“This 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 MDAs before the parliament.

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“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.”

Oke added that the Minister of Finance had said the nation’s expenditures surpassed its income and the ICPC also confirmed that the 2022 budget was padded by the executive arm by several billions of naira.

He said what the country needed was what to redouble its efforts at revenue generations and as well check the books of the MDAs.

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

Oke said the committee would have no other option than to effect the arrest of the defaulters or relocate its sitting to the premises of such MDAs.

He said there was need to look for the needed money to finance the 2023 budget to cater for the needs of the entire populace.

The Star