The operations of the Federal Capital Development Authority’s financial are the subject of investigations by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts.
This came as a result of complaints made against it by the office of the auditor general for the federation for not providing financial accounts for seven years as required by law.
The move was a flagrant violation of the constitution and against financial regulation, according to the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Oluwole Oke.
According to the regulation, the office of the federation’s auditor general must receive audited accounts from federal government ministries, departments, and agencies at a specific period for transparency and accountability.
“This is disheartening and unheard of… we have to summon your two predecessors in office, the Directors of Finance, and others having something to do with this mess. They will come and tell Nigerians what was responsible for their failures to carry out their assignments having received their annual salaries and other allowances from the federal government and failed to justify the money they collected.
Olusola Olusade, the FCDA’s permanent secretary, acknowledged that the FCDA had made a mistake but stated that the problem was already being fixed.
The audited accounts for 2019 and 2020 have already been submitted, he continued, and 2020 is almost ready.
Olusade claims that he became aware of the issue when he assumed office, “I quickly waded in, and put the officers in charge on their toes, because I knew that a day like this would come, and I can assure you that the narration has changed. We are putting our house in order; it will not repeat itself again.”
However, the committee decided to examine initiatives that the ministry claimed to have completed in order to determine whether or not the money spent was worthwhile.
RN