House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee has summoned Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria to appear before it to answer queries issued against them by the Auditor General for the Federation.
The agencies are expected to appear before lawmakers next week Tuesday.
At the hearing of the committee, yesterday, lawmakers described the actions of the agencies as unacceptable, especially, in view of previous invitations and the grievous nature of allegations against them in the 2019 Auditor General’s Report, which have not been responded to.
The committee also directed the medical director of Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, to appear on Tuesday with documents in support of various expenditure totaling about N10 billion queried by the Auditor General.
The committee wondered why the director, who had been in office for close to seven years, should continuously seek extension of time to clarify alleged infractions on diversion of public funds, non-remittance of internally generated revenue, and payment of allowances without approval of the salaries and wages committee.
Also, a bill aimed at curtailing the powers of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Yemi Cardoso, scaled second reading.
The proposed legislation, entitled ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the CBN Act Cap C4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004’, was sponsored by Francis Ejiroghene Waive, who argued that the move seeks to address critical aspects of the Act to enhance effectiveness, transparency, and accountability in the CBN and in its operations.(Guardian)
