The Senate has given one week ultimatum to over a hundred Government ministries and agencies to appear before its committee on public account or have it’s 2023 budget cut down.
This came as result of point of order raised by the chairman of the committee, Senator Mathew Origide during plenary.
Presenting his submission, Senator Mathew argued that these agencies have not responded to their invitation to answer some queries from the office of the Auditor general, noting that these agencies were the ones delaying the submission of Committee’s report to the senate plenary for consideration.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan who read out the list of the agencies prepared by the Senate committee on public account, said all the agencies listed should liase with the committee and sort the date to appear for necessary action.
Senator Ahmad Lawan further reiterated that any of the agencies mentioned and without any genuine reason will have their budget cut pending the satisfaction of the public account committee.
The few of such ministries and agencies include office of the accountant general, Ministry of finance, state House, Ministry of Petroleum, Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigerian Army, Police, Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, Correctional Service, Immigration, Information and Culture, Navy, Human Right Commission and National Security Adviser.
Other agencies are Civil Defence, National Hajj Commission, NDA, National Centre for Disease Control, Independent National Electoral Commission-INEC, Teaching Hospitals Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Aminu Kano teaching hospital, NAFDAC, University of Nigeria Nusuka and many more.
The Senate President Ahmad Lawan however advised the agencies to honor the invitation within one week or risk budget cut.
Bashir Mayere