Reps Committee Orders Personnel, Finance and Audit Heads to Appear on October 14
The six area council chairmen in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have again failed to appear before the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over financial queries contained in audit reports involving about ₦100 billion.
The chairmen had requested September 22 as the date for their appearance but failed to attend or send representatives.
The Auditor-General’s report showed that the six councils had outstanding liabilities of ₦7.6 billion as of December 31, 2021, including unremitted pension deductions, PAYE, unpaid capital projects, VAT and withholding tax.
Gwagwalada had ₦1.01 billion in outstanding liabilities, followed by Kuje with ₦892.2 million and Abaji with ₦593.8 million.
The committee is also seeking explanations and supporting documents on ₦24.87 billion spent by the six councils on personnel, overheads and capital expenditure in 2021.
PAC Chairman Bamidele Salam said the councils had repeatedly failed to honour invitations and provide documents required to resolve the audit queries.
He said the committee had consequently summoned the Directors of Personnel Management and Finance, as well as Heads of Audit of the six councils, to appear on October 14.
Salam said further audit reports for 2022 and part of 2023 raised concerns over alleged understatement of internally generated revenue, unauthorised disposal of assets, non-disclosure of statutory revenue and failure to remit withholding tax.
He also disclosed that the councils had failed to audit and submit their financial accounts for 2023, 2024 and 2025 as required by law.
The committee said officials found culpable would be held accountable, stressing the need for transparency and prudent management of public funds.