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The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed dismay over the failure of the six Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to appear before it to respond to N100 billion audit query in the 2021 Auditor-General of the Federation report.
Consequently, the panel issued what it described as final warning inviting the Directors of Personnel Management and Finance, as well as Heads of Audit of the six councils, to appear before it on 14 October or face sanctions.
The PAC chairman, Bamidele Salam, told journalists that the councils have repeatedly failed to honour invitations and provide documents required by the committee to resolve the audit queries.
According to him: “The last date of appearance of the Abuja Area Councils was 22 September 2026, which was a date they requested for and which was graciously granted by the committee. Yet, they failed to appear or send in any representation.
“The committee has therefore decided to issue summons to the Directors of Personnel Management and Finance of these local governments, including their Heads of Audit, to appear without fail on Wednesday, 14 October, failure of which they will be made to bear consequences according to service rules,” he said.
Salam added that the committee has made fresh discovery in 2022 and 2023 audit reports including alleged understatement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), unauthorised disposal of assets, non-disclosure of statutory revenue and failure to remit withholding tax to the appropriate authorities by the councils.
