Reps summon ministers heads of agencies over unaudited accounts

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Reps Summon Ministers, Heads of Agencies Over Unaudited Accounts

The House of Representatives has summoned the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the heads of various government agencies over the failure to submit their audited accounts for the 2020 fiscal year.

The summon was issued by the House Committee on Public Accounts, which is investigating the non-submission of audited accounts by the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government.

According to the committee's chairman, Hon. Wole Oke, the summon was necessary to ensure that the MDAs comply with the Public Procurement Act and the Financial Regulations, which require them to submit their audited accounts within six months of the end of each fiscal year.

The committee has given the summoned officials a deadline of one week to appear before it and explain the reasons for the delay in submitting their audited accounts.

The affected ministries and agencies include the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry of Works and Housing, Ministry of Power, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), among others.

The committee's investigation is aimed at identifying the causes of the delay and ensuring that the MDAs comply with the law and regulations.

In a related development, the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Anthony Ayine, has expressed concern over the non-submission of audited accounts by some MDAs, saying that it is a breach of the Public Procurement Act and the Financial Regulations.

Ayine called on the MDAs to comply with the law and submit their audited accounts to enable the Auditor-General's Office to carry out its statutory duties of auditing and reporting on the financial activities of the government.

The development is seen as a major step towards ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public funds in Nigeria.