…mandates agency to submit all audit reports between 2016-2019
… questions agency over N52M for travels between Lagos and Kano
The house of representatives on Thursday publicly condemned the non submission of procurement audit report by Bureau of Public Procurement.
Members of house committee on public procurement during 2021 budget defence got furious with the agency on discovering that out of over 800 agencies, only about 32 of the agencies’ procurement audit report were submitted to the lawmakers by Bureau of Public Procurement.
The cat was let out of the bag when Hon Ossai Nicholas Ossai, PDP Edo state demanded to be clarified by the DG why he did not present certificate of no objection in regards to contract awarded.
“My understanding is that as projects were approved, you carry out suvelliance, but something that didn’t come up here that I want to take on Mr chairman is that at least in my own committee, almost all the agencies received certificate of no objection from you.”
“Now, we know the negative implications of that, what is the reason and why is the approval becoming rampant like that because it prevent the agencies from involving the rest of Nigerians in the process of contract award.” Hon Ossai said.
The DG in his response said that the agency will furnish the committee with the necessary details. He further said that some of the procurement audits have been prblished and coppies submitted to the lawmakers
“We have published some of the procurement audits and submitted same to you for this year. I think the second one is in the process of production”
However, the chairman of the committee hon Ali Nasiru Ahmed, APC Kano State reacting to such claim said that he is not aware of that.
“Sorry DG let me stop you there, you said you have submitted procurement audit for this year to us? Am not aware of that.”
The quiz went further,
DG: We have an acknowledgement
Chairman: For which year did you submit?
DG: 2016, 2017
At this juncture, Hon Uju Kingsley Chima, Imo State in an attempt to support his position in the matter quoted the law;
He said, “In section 5, subsection B; perform procurement audit and submit such report to national assembly by annually and twice a year.”
He further said, “Now, why we ask you that question is that you submitted 2016 and 2015 this year according to you. You did it for only 32 agencies and we have over 850 or there about.”
“So how do we justify it with what we have here in your performance appraisal in page 2, article 3 procurement audit, where you have N76M enmarked by this national assembly, and you have only expended 12M, having a balance of 63M and yet the same National Assembly is receiving only 32 as against about 800”
Corroborating Uju’s position, Hon Ossai slammed the DG saying that it is a violation of the law
“I can see this as an infraction to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. The house should be able to summon a political courage or political will to be able to do the needful as regards such infraction and affront to the appropriation act because at every particular point in time, every year we appropriate money for this particular audit.”
“That means the house has to do a thorough job in the issues of application of funds. Because if we have budgeted funds for a particular reason and it is misappplied that’s also another infraction.” Ossai added.
The Agency in their reply said that audit is ongoing presently and submition of the some of the audit report will be made before the year runs out.
Hon Uju still not satisfied with the answer said, “If we can be very sincere with ourselves, it is taking like four good years to submit 32 agencies out of 900 agencies to us to atleast know whether these agencies are complying.
“But today, we are shocked as a committee of public procurement that we do not even have materials to work with.” Yes we are doing budget defence, but this committee is honestly vested with the responsibility to actually access and ascertain the usage of the previous funds allocated to every agency and ministry.”
” If your performance on audit is less than 5% I don’t think we have complied or we are ready to do the job.” Uju Added.
Hon. Uju thereafter moved a motion that the committee will mandate the agency to submit all audit reports for 2016, 2017,2018 and 2019 before the end of this year.
The committee also expressed dissatisfaction with the agency in response to the clarification sought by Hon Kalu Benjamin
According to Kalu, “Travels between Lagos and Kano, I saw it at about N52M don’t you think it’s too high ?
“I also would like you to differentiate between monitoring and evaluation as against surveillance. Are they not one and the same thing. What are u monitoring, what are u evaluating? And what is the survelliance on new project , what is the difference between the two of them. Because I have seen expenses going on monitoring and evaluation as well as surveillance?” He added
