Senate calls for establishment of Audit Tribunal to fight corruption

Says Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution should be revisited 

As Bill for the implementation of NASS recommendations on  Audit reports Scales Second Reading

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

The Senate has said that if corruption must be nipped in the bud, there was an urgent need for the Federal Government to establish an Audit Tribunal that would ensure that issues of corruption were addressed.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja after the consideration of a Bill for an Act to provide for the strict implementation of the National Assembly recommendation Annual Federal Audit Reports and for related matters, 2023( SB.117), the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan said that corruption cannot be exposed when persons involved are not punished, just as he said that this must be made possible if a Tribunal of this nature comes on board.

The bill  for an Act to provide for the strict implementation of the National Assembly recommendation Annual Federal Audit Reports and for related matters is sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South.

The Senate yesterday  passed for second reading, a bill for the strict implementation of  National Assembly recommendations  on 

annual federal audit reports. 

Speaking further, Lawan stressed that urgent need for a revisit of section 88 of the 1999 Constitution as amended against the powers of Investigation and not prosecuting was not enough.

Section 88 reads, “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, each House of the National Assembly shall have power by resolution published in its journal or in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation to direct or cause to be directed investigation into – any matter or thing with respect to which it has power to make laws, and the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for.”

Lawan who noted that there was the need to have a law to compare the executive to implement recommendations of national assembly on reports of its public accounts committee, said, “Because this  is one very frustrating job that the auditor -general will work so hard and interrogate infractions.

” And the National Assembly will work and at the end of the day, the consequences to be visited on those that have decided to ignore the financial provision will not be implemented.

“So it is like, they are encouraged to continue  to  do so,this bill will put a stop to that.

 “And so there must be implementation to the report and I want to urge the executive and particularly Mr president  that when this bill is passed , it should assent to it.because this is one bill that when it becomes law it will help in  fighting  corruption .

“Section 88 of the 1999 constitution gives us only power to investigate,  expose corruption, inefficiency and waste and that is where we can stop as far as the constitution gives us power .

“And so we need to  have further  provision to make it impossible to ignore when we expose  corruption.”

Lawan commended the committee for the bill saying that it should go for public hearing as the bill would be an important tool to fighting corruption.

Earlier in his presentation, Senator Urhoghide who noted that  the bill was  important at  improving  the economy and fighting corruption especially when the nation was  borrowing  heavily to fund  national projects, said that the  Auditor- General for the Federation and his team  over the years  spend enamous  time  to audit the account  of the federation and made recommendations.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Urhoghide who noted that   over the years the recommendations has  been ignored  to the peril of all Nigerians, said that the  goal of the  bill was  to ensure  that a legal framework exists  for the strict implementation and enforcement of  national assembly timely decision on audit reports of the auditor -general  on annual national financial dealings.

Senator Urhoghide said. “The Bill was read for the first time on Tuesday, 2nd May, 2023..

“This Bill is an important bedrock for harnessing our nation’s economy and fighting corruption, especially in the lean years when our nation is borrowing heavily to fund national projects; and when great prudence is required to ensure that funds appropriated for projects and other services are spent for the purpose budgeted for.

“Today, every Nigerian is interested in knowing that Government’s funds are spent for the purpose of approval, and with due respect for efficiency, economy and effectiveness of public service delivery. The Auditor General of the Federation and his team spend enormous time to audit the Account of the Federation and make recommendation which over the years have been ignored to the perils of all of us.

“The goal of this bill therefore is to ensure that a legal framework exists for the strict implementation and enforcement of the National Assembly timely decisions reached on audit reports of the Auditor General made on national annual financial dealings. This to ensure that a level of seriousness is accorded to the audit process, while violations are swiftly sanctioned within specified timelines.

“The Bill will ensure that national audits are not an exercise in futility, and it will be a role call for erring MDAs to understand that audit infractions can attract speedy and painful consequences. These success stories will be valuable crowns on the National Assembly and on the head of Auditor General, making him a champion in the war against corruption. Without the stamp of strict implementation and enforcement of a timeline urgently imposed by this bill audit report implementations will continue to remain difficult to enforce n matter the thoroughness or efficiency w we continue to invest on the exercise

“Mr. President and my colleagues, I seek your support to truly empower the office of the Auditor General of the Federation of Nigeria to continue doing good job on his constitutional mandate of ensuring transparency and accountability in the use and review of government’s financial transactions.

“The Federal Audit Report Implementation and Enforcement Bill, 2023 is a win- win for the Government and people of Nigeria when enacted into law.”

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