By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, has said it will embark on intensive oversight on agencies in charge of all Area Councils in the FCT.
The Chsirman of the Committee, Rep. Frederick Agbedi, explained that this was occasioned by the refusal of some agencies to honour the Committee’s summons to present their budgetary expenditures.
He promo to sanction the Social Development Secretariat of the Area Councils for not honouring its invitation in the past year.
He said: “After a budget cycle, you spent money, you need to account for it before you get other monies. But when you’re not responding to such, it means you’re running away from accountability. It means you have something to hide, and for us as a Committee, we’re prepared to work and ensure a better service is rendered to the people.
“As a Committee, the constitution provides that every public office holder must give account of stewardship. Some of the agencies submitted their reports, many others did not do anything for about a year, we’ve been waiting.
“Henceforth, we will invoke our powers because once you hold an office, you are supposed to render account. Any agency which failed to do so is evading accountability, which the law provides for actions to be taken, including to cause an investigation of the agency concerned”.
Rep. Agbedi noted that the House can also report to President Bola Tinubu about some of the agencies refusing to be accountable.
He therefore directed all affected agencies to liaise with the Committee’s secretariat with a view to developing schedules of oversight visits, even as he warned that they will not accept excuses anymore.
The chairman also frowned at the failure of Chief Executive Officers of the a few agencies which appeared before the Committee, to personally attend the very important meeting.
The Committee Chairman expressed displeasure with the representative of the Area Councils Public Service Board, Suleiman A, who reported that the office was unable to attend earlier meetings because it was carrying out verification of pensioners.
The Committee Chairman resolved that the concerned agencies should arrived at dates for oversight engagements, and insisted must fall within the next three weeks.
Some of the agencies which were represented at the meeting include the Auditor General for the FCT Area Councils, FCT Area Coucils Pension Board, FCT Area Councils Universal Basic Education Board, FCT Area Councils Public Service Board, Area Councils Resettlement and Compensation Secretariat, FCT Area Councils Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat and the FCT Area Councils Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.