The senate committee on public accounts has given the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and other defaulting agencies 72 hours to appear before it over their failure to honour previous invitations to respond to audit queries.
The absence of the agencies on Monday stalled the commencement of the committee’s special legislative oversight and public hearing on the NEITI oil and gas industry audit reports for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The hearing was convened to examine the audit reports submitted by NEITI, which contain details of the operations, revenues, payments, remittances and financial obligations of stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The committee is also expected to assess compliance by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), government-owned enterprises, regulatory bodies and oil and gas operators with the constitution, the NEITI Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, financial regulations and other laws governing the extractive sector.
More than 50 public institutions and oil and gas companies were invited to appear before the committee between August 3 and August 25.
However, officials of the CBN, NUPRC, NDDC and NEITI failed to attend Monday’s opening session and did not provide any formal explanation for their absence.
Ibrahim Dankwambo, chairman of the committee, said the hearing was organised to reduce the backlog of pending audit matters and strengthen the senate’s oversight responsibilities.
“We scheduled this hearing in order to reduce the volume of work before the national assembly and to promote and enhance our oversight responsibilities as members of the national assembly,” Dankwambo said.
“Letters were issued, invitations were sent, and advertisements were placed in at least three national newspapers. Yet, more than one or two hours after the meeting was scheduled to begin, our guests have still not arrived.”
Babangida Hussaini, senator representing Jigawa north-west and member of the committee, described the agencies’ absence as disrespectful to the national assembly and Nigerians.
“It is a distraction to the institution of the national assembly for any agency, by whatever name or designation, to refuse to appear and answer audit queries that have been validly raised,” he said.
“I think Nigerians deserve better. Public funds have been expended, yet accounting for audit queries has become a problem.”
Hussaini said members of the committee had cut short their recess and constituency engagements to attend the hearing.
“This committee needs to take drastic action. It is becoming embarrassing,” he stated.
“We have been here for over one and a half hours. There has been no formal notification. The agencies expected to appear have not shown up, and we are beginning to hear excuses.
“I think this committee is being taken for granted, and by extension, Nigerians are being taken for granted. The institutional integrity of the senate is being undermined.”
Patrick Ndubueze, senator representing Imo north, stated that the agencies did not deserve a second opportunity after failing to honour the invitations without explanation.
“It is unfortunate that we have all cut short our holidays and travelled from our various homes to be here, only to be waiting for people who are supposed to account for public funds,” he said.
“If the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria invites the head of an agency and the person fails to appear, then something is fundamentally wrong.
“I want to lend my voice that we should invoke the proper constitutional powers and deal with this matter appropriately—without hesitation, pretence, or favour.
“The proper consequences should follow. This is disgraceful to the nation of Nigeria.”
Nasiru Zangon-Daura, senator representing Katsina north, also criticised the agencies for failing to communicate with the committee.
“This reflects the level of commitment of government agencies in this country,” he said.
