The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned top officials from government agencies, including Nigeria Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRE), Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), and others, to address a significant audit query amounting to N20.853 billion.
Bamidele Salam, leading the committee, has given these agencies a 72-hour deadline to appear and respond to the audit queries, which were raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Notable agencies among those summoned are the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and the Federal University of Petroleum Studies in Effurum, Delta State.
Mr. Salam emphasized that this summons is a result of the agencies’ failure to attend a prior committee session focused on resolving the audit queries.
He also warned that this is their final notice before potential warrants of arrest are issued against agency heads.
Of the six entities invited, only the Rural Electrification Agency requested an exemption for its Chief Executive Officer from attending the hearing.
Additionally, the investigation involves a detailed examination of cash advances and the proper allocation of funds budgeted by the House for these agencies.
Mr. Salam asserted, “We will exercise our constitutional authority to ensure that every penny spent by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) is used judiciously.”
Committee members have expressed dissatisfaction with the non-cooperative stance of some government agency leaders toward parliamentary invitations and have called for appropriate sanctions.