Auditor-General moves to boost anti-corruption war

From Uche Usim, Abuja

The Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Mr. Anthony Mkpe Ayine, has called on auditors-general at the federal, state and local government levels to work in synergy, saying their close collaboration and cooperation will greatly enhance the war against corruption.

He gave the charge when the Conference of Auditors-General for Local Governments in the Federation led by its chairman, Reuben Osita Nwosu, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja at the weekend.

He said for the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) to make the desired impact at all levels of government, there must be independence and transparency.

He commended the move by the National Assembly on the proposed amendment for the independence of the OAUGF and the states.

The AuGF said he was strongly in support of the call for the National Assembly to amend the law so as to include the Office of Auditors-General for Local Governments (AGLG) in the Constitution.

This, he said, would not only guarantee the independence of the Office of the AGLG, but would give confidence and traction to auditing jobs at the local government level to enhance public accountability.

He noted that the House of Representatives passed the Audit Bill presented to it by his office, even as he expressed optimism that the Senate will pass the Audit Bill into law.

The passage of the bill, Ayine explained, would strengthen the performance of the OAuGF to achieve professional, administrative and financial independence.

He said once these things were done at the federal level, his office would work and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the same were replicated at the state and local government levels.

‎”In our efforts to create synergy among all levels of the Offices of the Auditors-General, the OAuGF has appointed a contact person who has the responsibility of interfacing and coordinating the joint collaborative efforts of all the levels of the Offices of the Auditors-General in the country.

“This move is imperative because of the peculiarity of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), Nigeria, which has Auditor-General in all the three tiers: federal, state and local governments,” he added.

Nwosu expressed confidence that the Auditor-General would promote transparency, accountability and integrity in the Public Financial Reporting of the Federal Government.