At least seven Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Anambra state have not been able to properly account for the sum of ₦1,093,501,709.04 expended for various purposes just as 29 agencies failed to be audited since they were established.
The Anambra State Auditor General, Mr Akosa Charles Okocha, revealed this in Awka, the state capital, Wednesday, at 2024 audit forum and citizens accountability dialogue organised to present 2023 audited report as part of activities marking the financial statements as required by international best practices.
Although names of agencies yet to be audited since inception were not mentioned, the MDAs with improper accounting of funds under their care included Anambra State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, State Ministry of Transport, State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS), State Ministry of Health, State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (formerly ministry of tertiary education) and Transport Corporation of Anambra State (Tracas).
According to him, issues observed in the audit report of the MDAs were improper record keeping, use of fictitious receipts, vouchers with insufficient retirement and improper documents to retire expenditures, not deducted and unremitted taxation, use of personal banks accounts, among others.
Okocha, who noted that six agencies were last audited in 2019, 2018, 2013 and 2012, explained that some MDAs were yet to respond to audit queries even as some responses received from others failed to address the key issues in line with extent laws of the land.
“Audit observed that most parastatals and State owned statutory entities are not being audited as provided for in the 1999 constitution as amended and the laws establishing such entities. This calls for serious attention as some of these agencies are carrying on their day to day businesses.
“In the year under review, out of 50 statutory corporations and entities of the State, only 15 has their account audited up to 2021/2022 with some suit in progress. 6 agencies were last audited in 2019, 2018, 2013 and 2012 while 29 agencies have not been audited since inception to date,” he added.
In the report, Anambra State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has issues of non retirement of funds and others amounting to ₦37,824,478, State Ministry of Transport yet to properly account for ₦448,952,006.5 funds, Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS) has different audit issues to the tune of ₦51,012,375, including not having an internal auditor, while the State Ministry of Health faces audit issues valued at ₦183,351,966.49.
Similarly, Anambra State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (formerly ministry of tertiary education) was unable to properly account for about ₦137,724,550 used for various purposes, while the sum of ₦40,000,000 spent by the ministry of information and public enlightenment was not properly retired, just as Transport Corporation of Anambra State (Tracas) audited issues was put at ₦240,546,333.05.
The Auditor-General, however, explained that some MDAs had responded accordingly and satisfactory in line with the audit law, while auditing was ongoing at some public institutions, adding that his office was working out measures with the State House of Assembly to ensure that any institution which fails to respond accordingly would no longer be funded by the government.
Delivering a lecture entitled audit as a tool for State development, Professor Patrick Egbunike of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka emphasised the need for continuous monitoring and real time auditing, even as he urged auditors to enhance their conferences using software, Artificial Intelligence and others to keep abreast in the job.
Another speaker, Professor Anthony Agu, represented by Dr Ekene Adokwe maintained that addressing the challenges of public finance accountability in Nigeria required strategic interventions for transparency, while a management and financial consultant, Mr Ademola Okeleye urged synergy between the various MDAs and Auditor-General office for efficiency in management and accounting of public funds.
Also speaking, the permanent secretary, Anambra State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chinyere Nwabachili, urged the citizenry, including the civil society organisations (CSOs), traditional rulers, youth and other community leaders to join in budgeting, as well as monitor public projects at their places and report findings to appropriate quarter.
A representative of CSOs, Ugochi Freeman called for passage and assent to Anambra State Anticorruption law with a view to ensuring that corrupt practices were checkmated and people found wanting were sanctioned appropriately.
