By Oluwakemi Kindness
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has issued a final summons to the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, ordering him to appear before the committee on Monday, July 13, over his alleged failure to honour repeated invitations and submit key financial documents.
The committee warned that it would invoke its constitutional and parliamentary powers against any public official who refuses to comply with legislative oversight.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, expressed concern over what he described as the Accountant-General’s persistent failure to respond to invitations or provide documents required for the committee to carry out its constitutional mandate.
According to Salam, the committee is particularly disturbed by what it views as the Accountant-General’s lack of diligence in rendering accounts and preparing Nigeria’s consolidated financial statements.
“The Public Accounts Committee is equally 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,” he said.
Salam described the development as disappointing, stressing that the Office of the Accountant-General occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s public financial management system and is expected to maintain a productive working relationship with the National Assembly.
“The Office of the Accountant-General occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s public financial management system. It is expected to work closely with the committee in the discharge of its oversight responsibilities. Unfortunately, the current Accountant-General has not demonstrated the level of cooperation expected of the office,” he added.
The committee also issued final invitations to six Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) over similar failures to honour previous summons.
The affected agencies are the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
Their accounting officers, alongside the permanent secretaries of the affected ministries, have also been directed to appear before the committee on July 13.
Salam reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and prudent management of public funds, warning that no public institution or official is exempt from legislative scrutiny.
