The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives summoned the heads of the Nigeria Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT)the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRE) and other government agencies to address a N20.853 million audit query.
Other affected agencies are the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and three other entities.
The committee, headed by Bamidele Salam, issued a 72-hour ultimatum for these agencies to appear before it.
The audit queries, totaling N20.853 million, were raised against these agencies by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
The agencies called include the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal University of Petroleum Studies in Effurum, Delta State.
Salam highlighted that this decision came after the agencies were absent during a committee session meant to address audit queries against them.
He also issued a stern warning, stating that this invitation represents the last warning before an arrest warrant can be issued against the heads of these agencies.
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Of the six entities invited, only the Rural Electrification Agency sent letters to the committee requesting that the Director General be excused from attending the hearing.
Additionally, the investigation encompassed scrutiny of cash advances and the proper allocation of House budgeted funds for some of these agencies.
Salam stated: “We will use our constitutional powers to ensure that every kobo spent by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) is used wisely.”
Committee members previously expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude of the heads of some government agencies to parliamentary invitations and called for appropriate sanctions.
(YAYA)
