The Senate has threatened to penalise heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) over the N105.66 billion infractions recorded against them in the latest report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF).
The report is before the two chambers of the National Assembly.
It said on Monday that the heads of the MDAs had routinely ignored invitations to appear before the legislature to address the queries raised by the report.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, Sen. Garba Madoki, sounded in Abuja during a one-day roundtable workshop on ‘Strengthening Legislative Compliance for Effective Governance’ organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
The chairman, who described the conduct of the agency heads as alarming, stated that the Senate had had enough of the disregard for parliamentary invitations.
Madoki spoke more, “We are going to be very strict on the report of the Auditor General for the Federation. We are taking notes of those items.
“In the very short while, measures are going to be taken against everybody who refused to comply with Senate resolutions on the matter.
“Where compliance is not done, I can guarantee you that actions will be taken against whoever is infringing on those reports.”
In the report, the AuGF pointed out growing irregularities and weaknesses in compliance with financial regulations by MDAs.
The report indicted the MDAs for financial regulation breaches in excess of N105.66bn.
For instance, the report disclosed that contracts valued at over N18.36bn were awarded without compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
But, speaking further, Madoki gave the assurance that the Senate would take the necessary actions on the report, already before Committee on Public Accounts.
The lawmaker added, “We will take this job seriously. And where sanctions are required, we will not hesitate to sanction any MDA that violates the laws of this country, either inadvertently or willfully.”
The President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, who was represented by his deputy, Sen. Jibrin Barau, spoke on the resolve of the current Senate not to condone any breaches of the law by MDAs.
The Senate President said, “As representatives of the people, one of our core mandates is to ensure that the resolutions and laws passed by the legislature are implemented effectively.
“This task is not just about oversight; it is about ensuring that the aspirations of Nigerians, as articulated through their representatives, are translated into meaningful action and positive outcomes.
“Legislative compliance is critical to the success of governance. Without it, the effectiveness of the National Assembly is undermined, public trust in government is eroded, and the development agenda is stalled.
“Our responsibility goes beyond enacting laws—it extends to ensuring their implementation by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and holding those who fail to comply accountable.”
Also speaking, the acting Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mr Kamoru Ogunlana, noted that legislative compliance was not just a legal framework but the backbone of good governance.
Ogunlana stated; “It ensures that our laws are not just enacted but are effectively implemented and respected throughout our society.
“Through robust legislative processes and compliance mechanisms, we can enhance citizen trust and confidence in our institutions, paving the way for sustainable development and social justice.”
On his part, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof Abubakar Sulaiman, listed “weak enforcement mechanisms, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and a lack of political will” as some of challenges in the way of compliance with financial regulations.
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