The House of Representatives has identify weaknesses in Nigeria’s auditing and accounting systems as major contributors to corruption in the country.
During a budget defense session with the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation (OAuGF), Hon. Bamidele Salam, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, pointed out that these weaknesses are causing the government to lose important revenue, which affects development.
Hon. Salam noted that some government agencies have not been properly audited in recent years, which could lead to impunity. He stressed that if the Auditor General’s office is better funded and staffed, it could help prevent corruption before it happens, rather than dealing with it after the fact.
The committee also discussed the poor implementation of the 2024 capital budget, which Salam said has negatively impacted governance and development goals. He called for a focus on improving government revenue to reduce the reliance on borrowing.
Auditor General Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira admitted that his office faced challenges due to underfunding and a lack of staff, which has delayed reports. However, he assured the committee that with proper funding, his office would be able to address these issues and meet deadlines for submitting backlogged reports.
