By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a final summons to the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, directing him to appear before it on Monday, July 13, following his repeated failure to honour invitations and submit documents required for an ongoing oversight investigation.
The committee, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, handed down the directive during its sitting on Tuesday, expressing frustration over what lawmakers described as the Accountant-General’s persistent refusal to cooperate with the National Assembly in the discharge of its constitutional oversight responsibilities.
Members said several letters sent to the Office of the Accountant-General in recent months requesting his appearance and the submission of key financial documents had gone unanswered, hampering the committee’s work.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, the committee stressed that the Office of the Accountant-General, as the custodian of the Federal Government’s financial records, has a constitutional obligation to work closely with the legislature to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
Speaking during the session, Salam said the committee was particularly disturbed by what it described as the Accountant-General’s lack of diligence in carrying out the statutory responsibilities of his office.
“The Public Accounts Committee is equally worried that the Accountant General is not showing any diligence in the rendering of Accounts of his office and the preparation of the country’s consolidated financial statements thus setting a bad example for other agencies of government,” he said.
The lawmaker noted that the Office of the Accountant-General occupies a pivotal position in Nigeria’s public financial management system and should be setting the standard for accountability across government institutions.
“The Office of the Accountant-General occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s public financial management system. As a critical institution entrusted with the management of public finances, it is expected to work closely with the Committee in the discharge of its oversight responsibilities. Unfortunately, the current Accountant-General has not demonstrated the level of cooperation expected of the office,” Salam added.
He reaffirmed the committee’s resolve to enforce legislative oversight, insisting that no public officer or institution is exempt from accountability to Nigerians.
Beyond the Accountant-General, the committee also issued final invitations to six Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) whose accounting officers have repeatedly failed to honour previous invitations.
The affected institutions are the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
The committee directed the accounting officers of the agencies, and the permanent secretaries in the case of the ministries, to appear before it without fail on Monday, July 13.
Salam warned that the committee would not hesitate to invoke its constitutional and parliamentary powers to compel compliance should any of the affected officials fail to honour the summons.
He reiterated the committee’s commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources, stressing that effective legislative oversight remains essential to safeguarding public funds and promoting good governance.
The House Public Accounts Committee derives its investigative powers from Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empower the National Assembly to investigate the administration of public funds, summon public officials and compel the production of relevant documents in the public interest.