The Senate has passed another landmark Bill in the fight against
corruption. The Bill, known as the Federal Audit Service Commission Bill,
2018 ( HB. 107), which was passed for concurrence, is aimed at:
establishing the office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and
provide additional powers and functions to the office; establishing the
Federal Audit Service Commission; repealing the Audit Act 1956, the Public
Accounts Committees Act; and enacting the Federal Audit Service Bill,
2015.
Speaking on this development, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola
Saraki said: Today is a landmark achievement in the fight against
corruption. This is will bring accountability and probity in the finances
of the government and the fight against corruption.
I must commend all the members of the National Assembly, both the Senate
and the House of Representatives. This will go a long way in ensuring the
independence of the office of the Auditor-General and will ensure that the
Auditor-General has access to different parastatal agencies.
We truly have to block all the various leakages. We have to ensure that
we get this to Mr. President to get his assent. We have gone a long way in
this administration in our fight against corruption, and it is commendable
that the National Assembly are the sponsors and movers of this very
important Bill, which we can see has been outdated for many years. We will
continue to play our part in this fight against corruption for the sake
our country, he said.
These are the 24 Benefits of the Federal Audit Services Bill Passed by the
8th Senate Today
Functions of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation:
1. Expressing an opinion on whether the financial statement prepared by
the government of the federation fairly represents or otherwise the
financial position and results of operation
2. Carrying out audit, except when the Constitution provides otherwise, of
all revenues accruing to the Federation and all expenditures of the
Federation from all sources
3. Carrying out audit, except otherwise provided by the Constitution, of
donations, grants and loans accruable to the Federal Ministries,
departments and agencies or other public entities
4. Carrying out performance audit by ensuring that Federal Government and
its agencies business is economically, efficiently and effectively
performed
5. Carrying out audit on classified expenditure
6. Carrying out forensic audits
7. Carrying out audit of international institutions to the extent of
Nigerias contribution to such bodies
8. Carrying out audit of all Federal government and its agencies subsidies
and their application
9. Carrying out audit of all federal government and its agencies
counterpart funded projects in the country
10. Carrying out audit of all Nigerian embassies, consulates and foreign
missions
11. Carrying out audit of performance information
12. Carrying out audit of disaster related grants and aids
13. Carrying out audit of public private partnership entered into by the
Federal government and its agencies assets and promote good governance
Powers of the Auditor-General:
14. Power to select the methodology to be adopted in respect of an audit;
15. Power to determine the nature and extent of audit to be carried out
and request details, account statements and financial statements, that he
considers necessary;
16. Request in writing, any person in the employ of the Federal
ministries, departments and agencies and international institutions whose
accounts are being audited by the Office of the Auditor-General to make an
appearance at a specified place and time; or produce such records, books,
vouchers and documents under the control of that person;
17. Power to investigate and make extracts from any record, book, document
and other information of any federal ministries, department and agencies
or international institutions whose accounts are being audited by the
Office of the Auditor-General;
18. Power to liaise with persons, federal ministries, departments and
agencies or other entities and international institutions in Nigeria or
outside Nigeria, on such conditions as he deems t for the proper
performance of his functions;
19. Power to surcharge the amount of any expenditure which has not been
duly brought into account or the amount of any loss or deficiency
incurred;
20. Power to revoke any surcharge imposed by the Office of the
Auditor-General
21. Power to direct the withholding of the emoluments and allowances of
persons who fail or refuse to reply to audit queries in 30 days and for as
long as the person fails to comply
22. Power to have restricted access to persons, documents, records and
other information necessary for proper discharge of statutory obligations;
23. Power to audit all money accruing to the nation or federal ministries,
agencies and departments or other public entities and international
institutions;
24. Power to audit donations, grants, loans and other forms of assistance
accruable to the federal government agencies, ministries and departments.