ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigerian Senate has urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint an Auditor General for the Federation, AuGF, by Section 86 of the 1999 Constitution.
The Red Chamber warns that the absence of an AuGF for the past ten months could leave the government vulnerable to potential mismanagement and lack of transparency.
The message, signed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada, highlights that the apex audit institution of Nigeria has been without a substantive Auditor-General for the last ten months.
The Senate warns this absence could hamper the strict adherence to accounting standards and efficient transmission of annual audit reports, impeding the checks and balances integral to the National Assemblies Committees responsible for Public Accounts.
The letter emphasizes the need for a substantive auditor-general to bolster the Federal Government’s commitment to fiscal responsibilities and protect public trust.
It notes that audit reports of 2020, 2021, and 2022 have yet to be transmitted due to the absence of an auditor general.
In a related development, the Contractors Association of Nigeria, CAN, has called on President Tinubu to prevent alleged plans to appoint an unqualified federal civil servant as the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.
Yusuf Abubakar, Chairman of CAN, stated on Sunday, August 6, 2023, claiming the name of a Grade Level 10 civil servant had been proposed for the role of DG, BPP, warning this could undermine the governance of every ministry and agency of the government that relies on BPP for due process of their procurements and contracts.
The statement warns that bypassing the established civil service process for succession in the public sector would undermine the role of the BPP and potentially lead to corruption in government procurement processes.
The CAN is demanding the BPP continues to be led by someone with experience and qualifications in contract and procurement management.
According to CAN, the proposed candidate was previously found guilty of gross misconduct and demoted.
They fear such an appointment would lead to the resignation of many senior officers, damaging the agency, and create an environment where government procurement could be carried out without proper oversight or competitive tendering.
Both the Senate and the Contractors Association of Nigeria call on President Tinubu to act responsibly in these appointments, warning that failure could undermine the government’s efforts to fight corruption and enhance transparency and accountability in governance.
