NNPCL, FIRS, 13 others frustrating us, Tinubu’s govt – Senate Committee

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday took a swipe at the top echelons of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigeria Police Force and 12 others, saying they are frustrating the efforts of the National Assembly and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at making Nigeria better.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed  Wadada Aliyu (SDP, Nasarawa West), told newsmen in Abuja, that the heads of these agencies have consistently refused to respond to queries raised against them over the 2019 audit report.

Daily Trust reports that the committee commenced the consideration of the audit report in October 2023, with a view to presenting its final report to the Senate committee of whole, but some agencies of government have failed to respond to its demands.

Senator Wadada said going forward, any agency that refused to honour invitations of the committee would be reported to the Senate committee of whole during plenary for appropriate actions.

The lawmaker listed other agencies frustrating the Senate and Tinubu’s agenda for Nigeria to include the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (former DPR) and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment.

Others are the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited among others.

He said, “The committee is not in doubt of the commitment of the present administration under the stewardship of His Excellency,  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make Nigeria better. But with the attitude of the aforementioned chief executives, that will not be achievable unless and until we all do the needful.

“The committee is very displeased with the attitude of foot dragging by agencies that are by law, expected to respond to parliamentary invitations and account for their actions.”

Daily Trust