By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has taken a strong stance against the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (IPCC) to invite two former Permanent Secretaries, Williams Alo and Yerima Tafa, over a staggering N3, 201,583,662.65 financial infraction that occurred during their tenure.
The Committee’s chairman, Bamidele Salam, expressed frustration over the Ministry’s disregard for the committee and the parliament, citing seven unanswered letters and a lack of relevant documents to address 32 audit queries from the 2020 audit report. Salam emphasized that the Minister’s consistent refusal to honor the invitation is unacceptable.
Salam noted that this is not an isolated incident, as several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have developed a habit of ignoring parliamentary summons to account for public funds. This disregard for the National Assembly’s authority has led to public criticism, with many calling for more effective oversight.
The Committee has given the current Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Saliu Usman, 72 hours to appear before them to respond to seven audit queries from the Auditor General for the 2021 financial year. Failure to comply may result in the committee upholding the Auditor General’s recommendations.
Additionally, the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal ministries of Transportation, Women Affairs, and Humanitarian Services have also been summoned to appear before the committee within the next 72 hours.
Salam emphasized that Williams Alo and Yerima Tafa, as former accounting officers in the Ministry, should be held liable for the financial infraction that occurred during their tenure.
The Committee is working diligently to address the queries contained in both the 2020 and 2021 audit reports before the 2022 report is submitted in April. This effort aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
Emeka Chinedu, a member of the committee, expressed concern over the development, highlighting that the Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is a former member of the House who is well aware of the parliament’s powers and workings.
