By Kassim Omomia
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, PAC, is to grill Acting Auditor General of the Federation,Mr Aghughu Adolphus over $36.1m World Bank Assisted Fiscal Governance and Institutions Project for the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.
Chairman of the committee Hon Oluwole Oke announced the summons at the ongoing probe into the World Bank Assisted facility
The Acting Auditor General of the Federation who was absent at the investigative hearing was represented by a Deputy Director, Mr Babalola Olanrewaju who failed to avail the committee detailed explanations about the loan, specifically why the loan was obtained and for what purpose
“We want to know what the loan was meant for before going to sign for it? What was your procurement plan before arriving at that figure? Or is it a reward? We need to know the programme plan how you want to ultilise the loan” the committee chairman requested
He said “The Acting Auditor General of the Federation , we are aware of his journey but there is no need to hurry about it, let him cause appearance before the Committee on next week Tuesday to come and explain the rationale behind the loan and to provide other vital information about it.
” Let him come and brief us properly, it is a loan that will be paid back and the next ten years now, you will leave the service of the Federation, your children and our Children will be the one that will be repaying the loans to our creditors, that’s why the man himself has to come and explain to the Parliarment personally.
“We knew the efforts we made about getting to the root of the loan, we knew how many battles we fought about it, the office of the Auditor General of the Federation is starved with funds, the place is under staffed, yet that huge amount is hanging somewhere, this not acceptable
“The office of the Auditor General of the Federation is saddled with the responsibility of auditing all the Ministries Departments and Agencies MDAs of the Federal Government for accountability and to boost anti corruption crusade of the President Muhammadu Buihari.”
Oke , however, demanded that the Clerk of the PAC, formally writes to summon the Acting Auditor General of the Federation to appear before the Committee by next week Tuesday to address them on the subject matter
