CACOL Commends Lagos Assembly’s Probe Of Auditor-General’s Report Of MDAs

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State House of Assembly in its bid to commence deliberation, probe and consideration of the 2022 Auditor General’s Report for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.

In a release issued by CACOL and signed by Tola Oresanwo, the anti-corruption organization’s Director of Administration and Programmes on behalf of its Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, he stated, “We received the news that the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts has begun investigation of MDAs in the state as it relate to the Auditor General’s Report about them with great joy.”

It will be recalled that, Hon. Kehinde Olaide Joseph, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the State’s Assembly, was quoted by media as saying “the exercise was to ensure that the committee’s statutory oversight is used as an antidote to financial recklessness by MDAs in the State and that the consideration of the report is in consonance with the need for improved efficiency and best practices in the pursuit of the statutory objectives of the Public Accounts Committee.”

According to the Chairman of the Committee, “The Assembly is poised to commence deliberations and considerations of the audited report of the State Auditor-General on the Accounts of the Lagos State Government for the year ended 2022, having been committed to the Committee for proper deliberations. This exercise will cover the period from 1st January to 31st December 2022 as well as the economic activities of all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government in all sectors of the State Government. The committee will be inviting all heads of indicted MDAs for clarifications regarding the queries raised in the Auditor-General’s Report to enhance service delivery.”

“The exercise will also ascertain the completion, accuracy, and reliability of the financial transactions within the sectors and confirm the level of compliance with financial regulations, relevant legislations, and accounting standards as well as reflect on each sector’s financial performance and position.

” We at CACOL are very happy to hear of this noble move by the Lagos State House of Assembly. Lagos being the commercial nerve centre of the country with its huge revenue and gigantic projects springing up at different parts of the state must strive to be a shining light to other states by always making those at the helms of affairs at the various MDAs to give account of their stewardship to the residents of the state.

“We hope the exercise would be carried out without political considerations and it would not be used to settle unnecessary political scores.

“We also want to urge the Committee members to make the results of their investigations public, so that ordinary taxpayers in the street would be able to know what is going on in terms of the finances of the state and also the recommendations of the Committee should be put to use by both the executive and legislative arms of government in the state. “

The CACOL Boss added, “We want to commend the Lagos State Public Accounts Committee for investigating the activities of these MDAs. The 1999 constitution of Nigeria generally vests the state’s legislature with the power to make laws, although this responsibility is not limited to making laws as a lot of additional responsibility including that of oversight has also been placed upon the legislature.

” We want to believe that if the current trend by the Public Account Committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly is intensified and sustained with the cooperation of the Executive arm of government in the state, stemming the tide of corruption in the various agencies and parastatals of the state government will not be a herculean task.”