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The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, to appear before it over audit queries relating to his office.
The panel also summoned the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs to appear before it for the same purpose.
The committee, which issued the summons on Tuesday, expressed dismay that Ogunjimi and the accounting officers of the six Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) had repeatedly failed to honour invitations by the panel.
The PAC Chairman, Bamidele Salam, while speaking at a meeting of the committee, said the Accountant-General, in particular, had allegedly refused to furnish the panel with critical documents required for its oversight duties.
According to him, “the Public Accounts Committee is equally worried that the Accountant General is not showing any diligence in the rendering of Accounts of his office and the preparation of the country’s consolidated financial statements thus setting a bad example for other agencies of government.
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“The Office of the Accountant-General occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s public financial management system. As a critical institution entrusted with the management of public finances, it is expected to work closely with the Committee in the discharge of its oversight responsibilities.
“Unfortunately, the current Accountant-General has not demonstrated the level of cooperation expected of the office.”
Salam, who reiterated the committee’s resolve to ensure strict compliance with legislative oversight, emphasised that no public officer or institution is above accountability to the Nigerian people through their elected representatives.
Consequently, he directed the Accountant-General, the accounting officers of the agencies, and the Permanent Secretaries in the case of the ministries to appear before the PAC unfailingly on July 13.
The lawmaker warned that the committee would be compelled to invoke all constitutional and parliamentary measures available to it to ensure compliance with its directive.
