The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has summoned the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, over his repeated failure to honour invitations from the panel.
Chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam, on Tuesday gave the Accountant-General a six-day ultimatum, directing him to appear before the committee on July 13.
Salam described Ogunjimi’s repeated absence as “unbecoming,” saying the committee had consistently invited him to provide documents needed for its constitutional oversight responsibilities.
“The Public Accounts Committee is 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,” Salam said.
According to the lawmaker, the Office of the Accountant-General plays a vital role in Nigeria’s public financial management system and is expected to maintain a close working relationship with the National Assembly, particularly on issues relating to accountability and the management of public funds.
He expressed concern that the level of cooperation expected from the office had not been demonstrated.
“Unfortunately, the current Accountant-General has not demonstrated the level of cooperation expected of the office,” Salam added.
The committee also issued final invitations to six ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Police Affairs.
Salam warned that the committee would invoke its constitutional powers against any MDA that fails to honour its invitation.
The move forms part of the committee’s ongoing efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and proper management of public funds.
