Senate Begins Consideration of 2016 Auditor General Report as Panel Indicts 37 MDAs

By Iyojo Ameh

Senate on Tuesday commenced consideration of the 2016 Auditor General’s Report as the Panel on Public Accounts indicted 37 MDAs for violation of financial procedure.

The consideration of the report which started on the floor of the Senate was presented by the Chairman, Senate Public Accounts Committee, senator Matthew Uhrogbide.

But, the consideration of the report was deferred till Wednesday to enable Senators scrutinize the report properly.

However, in the report
released by the committee, 92 MDAs were issued queries , 80 of which submitted written responses and appeared before the committee to defend queries but did not appear before the committee while four failed to either appear or submit written response to the committee despite several reminders.

Out of the 80 MDAs that appeared before the committee, 43 had their queries vacated while the queries of 37 MDAs were sustained and recommendations accordingly presented to the Senate.

Those that failed to submit written submission before the Panel are Federal Ministry of Health, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, National Orthopedic Hospital , Kano , Nigeria National Merit Award, Abuja.

Government agencies that submitted report but failed to appear are Federal Ministry of Works , Power and Housing (Works Sector), Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Nigeria Police Force , Nigerian Press Council , National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Federal Dental Clinic, Broad Street, Lagos , National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Federal University of Technology, Minna.

The Senate will commence full consideration of the report at the plenary on Wednesday and take a position on the report.

END