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Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has responded to queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation over its 2023 expenditure, saying all issues raised have been addressed with documentary evidence.
The Commission said its comprehensive response had been formally submitted to both the Office of the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly for consideration.
NiDCOM, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, urged the public to await the outcome of the statutory review rather than draw conclusions from the audit observations.
The Commission stressed that an audit query was not, in itself, a final determination of wrongdoing, arguing that the purpose of such a query was to obtain explanations and supporting records from the affected government institution.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a query is meant to be responded to and NiDCOM, like any other responsible government institution, has done exactly that,” the statement said.
The Commission added that it would be inappropriate for any organisation to prejudge its response before the relevant facts, records and explanations had been fully examined by the appropriate authorities.
It directed enquiries concerning its 2023 audited report to the Office of the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, which are responsible for the relevant audit and legislative oversight processes.
NiDCOM said it remained committed to transparency, accountability and due process.
The development comes against the backdrop of constitutional and statutory mechanisms through which public expenditure is subjected to audit and legislative scrutiny.
Under Nigeria’s public financial accountability framework, the Auditor-General examines government accounts and raises observations or queries where explanations or supporting documentation are required. Such queries are subsequently subject to responses and further consideration, including by the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees.
The Public Accounts Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives examine audited public accounts and summon government officials where necessary to provide explanations on issues contained in audit reports.
NiDCOM was established by the Federal Government to coordinate and engage Nigerians in the diaspora, facilitate their participation in national development and strengthen institutional links between the Nigerian state and its citizens abroad.
The Commission said the response to the 2023 audit queries was now before the relevant authorities and that its explanations and documentary evidence should be considered as part of the due process before any conclusion is reached.
