By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating Agricultural Subsidies, Intervention Funds, Aids, and Grants Programmes has summoned the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Agriculture.
The summons follows the committee’s dissatisfaction with the documentation and accountability records presented during a hearing.
The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Jamo Aminu, expressed dissatisfaction with the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to provide audit reports on several agricultural subsidy and intervention programmes.
“We cannot effectively carry out this investigation without proper audit records,” Aminu said.
The investigation is part of ongoing efforts by the House to scrutinize public spending in the agricultural sector amid concerns over food insecurity, rising food prices, and questions surrounding the effectiveness of past intervention programmes. The committee expects comprehensive audit documentation to track disbursements, utilization, and outcomes of the various schemes.
A Deputy Director from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adamu, told the panel that the delay in producing the reports was due to non-availability of key documents from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
“The primary source of these documents is the Ministry of Agriculture. Without those records, concluding the audit process has been difficult,” he said.
The committee directed the Auditor-General of the Federation, alongside the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance or their designated representatives, to appear before it on Feb. 3. The panel warned that failure to honour the invitation would attract legislative sanctions.
Aminu stressed that transparency and accountability were non-negotiable. “These funds span a decade and involve critical national programmes,” he said. The committee is determined to get to the bottom of the issue.
Adamu urged the lawmakers to widen the scope of the investigation to include the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance, noting that both ministries play central roles in the release, management, and oversight of the funds.
