By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja

The Senate has advised President Bola Tinubu to appoint an Auditor General for the Federation (AuGF) in compliance with Section 86 of the 1999 Constitution.

The red chamber noted that the absence of the Auditor-General for the Federation in the last 10 months, had left the government, susceptible to potential mismanagement, lack of accountability and transparency.

The communication was signed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada.

The upper legislative chamber expressed concern that the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which is the apex audit Institution of the country, had been without a substantive Auditor-General for the last 10 months.

Part of the letter read, “The absence of a substantive AuGF will affect strict adherence to Accounting Standards and the Annual Reports of the Auditor-General on the accounts of the Federation of Nigeria Agencies and Ministries, Agencies, Departments (MDAs) cannot be efficiently transmitted.

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”This will impede necessary checks and balances which are integral to the functions of the National Assemblies Committees responsible for Public Accounts.

”Therefore, it is very imperative for President Tinubu to heed our advice in the interest of the country. The absence of the Auditor-General could affect the efforts of our government in the fight against corruption and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance.”

The letter emphasised that appointing a substantive Auditor-General would strengthen the Federal Government’s commitment to fiscal responsibilities and safeguard the public trust.

It pointed out that the Audit Reports of 2020, 2021, and 2022 are yet to be transmitted under section 85 (2) of the 1999 Constitution as a result of the non-appointment of an Auditor General for the Federation.