The House of Representatives has issued a sweeping indictment against 31 federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, for a range of financial misconducts totaling over ₦103.8 billion and $950,912.
The lawmakers have called on Nigeria’s major anti-corruption institutions — the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service to launch immediate recovery actions.
This resolution came after Rep. Bamidele Salam presented findings from the House Public Accounts Committee, which reviewed the Auditor-General’s annual reports for 2019 and 2020.
The reports unearthed a pattern of systemic abuse, including unauthorized expenditures, unremitted revenue, and violations of procurement laws across numerous government bodies.
The infractions, according to the PAC, span a wide range of issues. Several MDAs were found to have executed contracts that lacked documentation or ran afoul of Nigeria’s procurement regulations.
Others failed to remit internally generated revenues or tax deductions, while some retained official vehicles and disbursed public funds without proper authorization or approvals.
In response, the House not only called for the recovery of the stolen or mismanaged funds but also stressed the need for sweeping institutional reforms.
Lawmakers advocated for the empowerment of agency heads to appoint external auditors, particularly in cases where governing boards are absent.
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They also recommended that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation consider issuing new directives or updating existing financial regulations to strengthen fiscal discipline.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, commended the PAC Chairman and members for what he described as thorough and diligent oversight.
He reaffirmed the House’s commitment to enforcing transparency, upholding accountability, and safeguarding public funds from continued abuse.
“This is a clear message to public officials and institutions that the era of impunity is over,” Kalu said. “Our responsibility to the Nigerian people includes not just passing laws but ensuring that public resources are used responsibly and in line with statutory provisions.”
The Conclave
