Joseph Bakare
The Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, has implored the nation’s leaders and citizenry to intensify their efforts in championing the cause of fiscal discipline and accountability within the public finance system.
The AuGF, who spoke with the media, as the nation celebrates Democracy Day on Thursday, commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing fiscal and tax reform initiatives, describing these measures as essential for enhancing the nation’s revenue generation and budgetary expenditures.
Chira explained that transforming the potential benefits of these reforms into tangible gains for the citizenry required more transparent fiscal mechanisms for the monitoring and evaluation of government expenditures, including the auditing processes and the timely appraisal of the Audit report by his Office, free from political interferences.
He said: “Today’s Democracy Day is worthy of celebration, given the political history of the country and the prospects for sustainable development. Over the past few years, we have witnessed a series of reform initiatives by both past and present administrations aimed at improving the nation’s fiscal system, particularly under President Bola Tinubu, based on the current Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills that are being finalized by the National Assembly.
“Let me emphasize that these measures are not merely desirable for Nigeria’s sustainable development; the enactment of the four pivotal bills will significantly contribute to stabilizing the financial system while also promoting transparency in public finance and prudent governance at all levels of government throughout the country. “It is imperative to underscore, however, that the role of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) in achieving these laudable objectives may be impeded if the Audit Bill currently before the National Assembly is not enacted into law.
“The passage of the Bill, which seeks to augment the AuGF’s role in ensuring accountability, transparency and value for money in government expenditure while empowering the AuGF with administrative and financial autonomy, is crucial for enhancing transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s public finance system that aligns with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAIs).
“Therefore, I seize this opportunity to appeal to our lawmakers in the National Assembly to prioritize the passage of the Audit Bill as a strategic legislative initiative to achieve the commendable goals of the Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills they are presently finalizing,” the AuGF added.
Experts are of the view that the Auditor-General’s call for the passage of the Audit Bill 2022 aligns with the OAuGF Strategic Plan 2024-2028, which encapsulates the objectives of the Office being the Supreme Audit Institution(SAI) of Nigeria, aimed at enhancing public sector governance and accountability.
The four principal objectives of the Strategic Plan include Goal, Focusing on the enhanced independence and mandate of the OAuGF; mitigate mismanagement of public funds through more robust follow-up on audit recommendations; and ensure improved financial reporting within the public sector; and Goal as well as establish the OAuGF as a model institution not only in Nigeria but on a global scale.