Senate flays agencies over audited reports, tasks NNPC on technology

The Senate has deplored the failure of some critical agencies of government to submit their audited reports to the National Assembly.

Its Committee on Public Accounts yesterday lamented that the affected agencies failed to honour the seven-day deadline given by the upper legislative chamber for submission of the documents.

Chairman of the committee, Matthew Urhoghide, expressed shock that 18 out of the 25 agencies had neither presented their audited accounts nor written to explain the rationale for the non-submission at the deadline.

He gave the erring bodies to make the reports available in the interest of the country.

The panel named the affected agencies to include the Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Niger Delta Development Commission, Federal Capital Territory Administration and the National Agency for Science and Engineering and Infrastructure.

Others are the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Petroleum Equalisation Fund, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company.

Besides, the red chamber urged President Muhammadu Buhari to computerise the nation’s oil sector for improved revenue.

The chamber also called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to adopt technology in compliance with international best practices in measuring oil production.