The National Assembly has been urged to provide legislation for independent auditors for the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
The Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Mr. Adolphus Aghughu, stated this in Abuja when the House of Representatives Committee on Public Account paid an oversight visit to the agency.
Mr. Aghughu said the independent auditing was to ensure more transparency and accountability in the management of public finances and governance in the country.
The Chairman of the House Committee, Mr. Oluwole Oke, in a remark reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to reduce reckless spending of approved budgetary allocation by government agencies.
Mr. Oke who picked holes in the financial reports of the AuGF office said the committee is committed to the welfare of the auditors to perform their constitutional duties effectively.
Report of the AuGF Office budgetary allocation for 2019 to 2021 was presented to the committee without vouchers and other supporting documents. This led to the queries on the financial spending.
Some of the subheads queried by the lawmakers include: N1.9 million allegedly spent on new clinic and additional sum of N3.967 million spent on drugs and medical supplies as well as N7.721 million spent on medical consulting despite payment of N55.933 million as NHIS contribution as contained in the 2020 financial statement against N87.870 million NHIS contribution paid in 2019.
The lawmakers also demanded for the staff nominal roll of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation over an increase in the N1.977 billion personnel cost for 2019 to N1.991 billion that was appropriated in 2020, despite the depleting workforce and the request for 500 new staff.
