News
Management of our public resources is a panacea for entrenching enduring culture of public accountability-AuGF
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Auditor General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira has said
management of our public resources is a panacea for entrenching an enduring culture of public accountability
Speaking at a National Workshop on Trends in Public Sector Accounting, Auditing and Public Sector Reforms organized by Public Accounts Committee, PAC, of the HoR in collaboration with the Office the Auditor General for the Federation in Lagos, Chira said:
“Improved efficiency in the management of our public resources, a panacea for entrenching an enduring culture of public accountability.
” On my part as the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), I am pleased to announce that I have initiated series of reforms, since assumption of duties, aimed at repositioning the OAuGF for efficient service delivery.
“At the centre of these reforms, is timely submission of quality audit reports to the National Assembly (NASS); to enable them perform their oversights as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). In view of the foregoing objective, it was very easy for the Chairman, PAC (House of Rep.) and I to agree on the need to organise this workshop to further entrench, a culture of prudent management of our nation’s financial resources.
” It is on this premise that I see this workshop as a win-win situation for key stakeholders who are desirous of strengthening our public accountability.
“Further to the submission of high-quality audit reports, it is also my determination to make the OAuGF a model Institution, that will earn public confidence through professional conduct of its audit/periodic checks as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other extant regulations.
“I came to this position because I was well aware of the general concerns of the auditees, being a person that rose through the ranks to become the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF). This underscores the first Circular I issued as the AuGF with Ref. No. 928/99/CONF/VO.II/38 dated 2nd January, 2024, on ‘CENTRALIZATION OF ISSUANCE OF AUDIT ENGAGEMENT LETTERS’.
“The Circular under reference has a twin benefits of helping my Office to track the conduct of audit and ensure timely submission of reports as well as reducing incidences of multiple audit visits to one Agency in a year.
“The implication of the Circular is that any letter for audit assignment not signed by me should not be honoured and in case you are in doubt of any letter for audit, feel free to contact me before granting access to the team.
“I must add that occasionally, due to public outcry or peculiar nature of some projects/programmes, a special team(s) may be set up by the Auditor-General for the Federation to specifically audit such projects/programmes with a view to submitting special report(s) to the National Assembly. In such situations, you should not be taken aback.
“On this workshop, I want to assure our Distinguished Participants, that the papers that will be presented and the Resource Persons were carefully selected to keep you abreast of violations that constitute audit queries as well as the modus operandi of the PAC public hearing. Other areas include but not limited to the rudiments of knowing the reporting framework that is appropriate for your MDA, and an overview of key public sector financial management reforms.
“The Resource Persons, especially, are practitioners with considerable on the job experiences and are more than capable of doing justice to their respective papers.
“Another major advantage of this workshop is that it is coming shortly after both the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Auditor-General for the Federation issued separate Circulars on submission of stand-alone annual financial statements by the MDAs with effect from 2023 financial year. The Resource Persons from the two Offices will attend to all your concerns regarding the two Circulars in particulars and other matters connected thereto.
“At this juncture Distinguished Participants, it is my humble appeal that you make the best of this rare opportunity, where the Chairman of the PAC (House of Representatives), the AuGF and the Accounting Officers are in one room for a few-days, to x-ray matters that bothers on public accountability. Let us therefore make this workshop very interactive and participatory.
“Finally, I want to thank, once again, the Chairman of the PAC, House of Representatives for this initiative and the Accounting Officers that made it to this workshop. I have no doubt that, going forward, there will be improved efficiency in the management of our public resources, a panacea for entrenching an enduring culture of public accountability.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Enugu Governor Peter Mbah has expressed deep grief over the passing away of former Super Eagles skipper and coach, Christian Chukwu, describing him as a football icon, titan, and phenomenon.
Reacting to the development on Saturday Mbah said: “I received with a deep sense of loss the passing away of Chairman Christian Chukwu. It is a personal loss to us as Ndi Enugu, his home state, and indeed to Nigeria as a nation and Africa as a continent.
“Christian Chukwu was a national icon, a football titan, field marshal, and phenomenon. His exploits as a footballer united the country across ethnic divides and creed.
He was patriotism personified, serving the nation and Africa unreservedly both as a player and coach of the highly successful Rangers International Football Club of Enugu and Super Eagles of Nigeria, which he captained to victory as Green Eagles at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. He also coached the Harambee Stars, Kenya’s senior male national team, among others.
“Chairman, as he was fondly called, gave his all not only to the nation but to the rest of Africa. He wrote his name in gold in the annals of the history of Nigerian and African football.
Our dear legend has gone the way of all mortals, but the fond memories and the pride he gave Ndi Igbo and Nigeria as a whole will be cherished forever.
“My heart goes out to his family, Ndi Enugu, the Nigerian sports community and the entire nation over this irreplaceable loss. May the good Lord grant his soul eternal repose.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
No fewer than seven people lost their lives on Saturday following the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.
The deadly incident occurred along the Maiduguri-Damboa Road, a notorious route that cuts through the Sambisa Forest—an area long plagued by insurgent activities.
The victims were part of a convoy of vehicles being escorted by the military from Damboa to Maiduguri.
According to eyewitness accounts and local sources, the explosion struck as the convoy—organized to provide safe passage through the volatile region—was underway. Several other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Maiduguri for urgent treatment.
The Maiduguri-Damboa Road serves as a vital link between the state capital and several local government areas in southern Borno, including Chibok and Gwoza.
For years, the route remained closed to civilian traffic due to persistent terrorist threats. However, under the administration of Governor Babagana Zulum, the road was reopened, with military escorts deployed to accompany travelers twice weekly after clearing the area for explosives.
Saturday’s attack raises fresh concerns about the safety of the corridor, despite consistent military presence. The blast also comes just days after Governor Zulum publicly raised alarm over renewed Boko Haram activity in the state, highlighting the persistent threat the group poses to peace and development in the region.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident, while investigations and security operations in the area continue.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has initiated a search following the theft of a black Toyota Hilux vehicle belonging to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Nuhu Ribadu, which was stolen during Friday’s Juma’at prayers in Abuja.
It was gathered that the vehicle was parked around 1:05pm opposite the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) complex in Area 10, while the official attended prayers at a nearby mosque.
Security source, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the incident via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, revealing that the ONSA official returned from the mosque only to find the vehicle missing.
According to him, a sources said the theft was immediately reported to the Garki Police Division at approximately 2:00 p.m., leading to a swift response by law enforcement.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command promptly activated a stop-and-search operation at various checkpoints and across all entry and exit points in the capital city.
Police authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing and all efforts are being made to apprehend the culprits and recover the vehicle.
The Command said it had intensified efforts to track down the fleeing suspects and recover the stolen Hilux.
-
News16 hours agoInsecurity: Criminals Cart Away NSA Ribadu’s Office Hilux During Juma’at Prayer In Abuja
-
News24 hours agoIbas gives reasons why Sole Administrators were appointed for Rivers councils
-
Opinion19 hours agoDismantling the false Narrative of a “Coup” in Rivers State
-
News19 hours agoOERAF Rounds Up Late Chief Ekuogbe Rowland Akpodiete’s remembrance with Novelty Match
-
News23 hours agoFive countries with easy work visas in 2025
-
News23 hours agoUS embassy announces new requirements for visa interviews for Nigerian applicants
-
Politics17 hours ago2027 Beautiful bride: After Atiku visits Buhari, Ganduje leads APC delegation to Kaduna
-
Sports14 hours agoSAD! Most popular ex-national football team captain, Christian Chukwu is dead