Auditor-General must be the real watchdog

The recurring incidences of financial impropriety in the public sector have become embarrassing hallmarks of Nigeria’s fallen moral standards. The frequency with which these acts happen and the quantum of financial resources that are squandered or diverted in the process make the country’s professed fight against corruption appear as if it is a hoax. Nigerians […]

The recurring incidences of financial impropriety in the public sector have become embarrassing hallmarks of Nigeria’s fallen moral standards. The frequency with which these acts happen and the quantum of financial resources that are squandered or diverted in the process make the country’s professed fight against corruption appear as if it is a hoax.

Nigerians are always at a loss when the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF) comes out with heartrending reports of financial impropriety by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), albeit belatedly, leaving very little room for redress.

We believe there are many provisions that allow the office of the AGF to bark, but unfortunately, there are needless encumbrances that block the option to bite in order to serve as deterrence.

The modern governance system works through the agency principle whereby a few people are entrusted with the responsibility of managing the resources of the society on behalf of all. However, these agents, represented by the various cadres of civil servants, have become an existential threat to the welfare of our citizens. Rather than serve the people with the resources, they periodically gang up to corner the people’s commonwealth, feeding fat on what belongs to all.

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These gangs have succeeded for so long because nearly everything in the system seems to be working in their interest. From an ineffective and sometimes selective anti-corruption architecture, to the slow machinery of the civil service, the government apparatus seems to be designed to facilitate such unconscionable pillage. Thus, with the entire system virtually working in their favour, they hijack the flow of resources, and take over projects and programmes meant to deliver public goods to the ordinary people.

This is why Nigerians read now and again such bizarre headlines that the Auditor-General’s office has unravelled.

The most recent was that the “AGF uncovers N197 billion contract fraud in MDAs”; and the one before it said “AGF uncovers N4.6 billion unapproved spending in works ministry.”

A simple Google search will prop up endless results around these alleged malfeasances. This has become a yearly ritual, and the government system continues to run normally, as though nothing abnormal has happened.  This gross abuse of power festers because those who should checkmate the vices appear to deliberately turn their eyes the other way while the pillaging goes unhindered.

In the two examples cited above, investigations revealed infractions against extant laws and regulations, from the award of contracts to the observance of due process in payments, etc.

Paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations (2009) prohibits payments for services or goods not yet delivered, but many of the agencies disregarded these provisions. In the latest release by the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc in Abuja led the group of violators on this, with N100 billion involved.

There were irregularities in the award of contracts, which amounted to N7.39 billion in contravention of the relevant section of the Financial Regulations Act (2009), which mandates open competitive bidding for all procurement processes. This was highest in the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in Abuja, which recorded N2.12 billion from such contraventions.  Yet,  nothing has been done to those responsible for this.

These are laws and regulations that the same civil servants drafted with much fanfare, with a lot of money spent on various public hearings and other activities, including the passage by the National Assembly. Yet it seems that these laws are mere decorations for the official bookshelves rather than instruments for change.

Nigeria cannot suddenly become the blissful land that we all dream about, with this kind of mind-set in those entrusted with our scarce resources. Rather than facilitate the development process they often intentionally become clogs in the wheel, impeding progress.

Some years ago, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), said it was going to sanction defaulting MDAs, but nothing has come out of that threat.  So,  this goes on. If the government gives staff or a department funds to spend, and no account is given about how the resources were spent, why wouldn’t the relevant organs of the government demand accountability?

Daily Trust believes that it is time to fully apply the necessary sanctions against violators of such laws.

The first step is to accord the office of the AGF, which is like the whistleblower, the right support it deserves. The Auditor General and those working under him must be strengthened to enable them monitor spending of government expenditure in time, instead of coming out with reports years after the infraction has been committed.

This will enable prompt sanctioning of perpetrators of such acts while they are still in service or alive.

To achieve this, the National Assembly must provide legislative support to the auditor general by passing laws that strengthen the office’s powers and independence.

On the other hand, the auditor general’s office must invest in capacity building for its staff to ensure they have the necessary skills and expertise to carry out their duties effectively.

We also call on the National Assembly to rise to the challenge and exercise its oversight functions.  Its finance committee should get involved in this fight. Similarly, the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) should also be empowered so it can carry out its functions. Any cost variations in any agency’s accounts should be scrutinised.

Every succeeding administration came with a promise to fight corruption yet these infractions continue and it is time to put a stop to them.

The ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should be proactive in their operations. If the AGF’s office did its work on time, and wrongdoings are noticed in time, these agencies should be able to stop them before they are fully executed by the perpetrators.