Auditor-General Wants Quick Passage Of Audit Bill

The Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel Ukura, has called on the National Assembly to fast track the passage of Audit Bill currently before it, even as he said he was excited over new Audit House as foremost clearing house in the country.

The eight-storey Audit House, a laudable initiative of Ukura who was appointed in 2009 by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, is located in the Central Business District. Apart from the ambience of the new office, more of the auditors are now located in one complex which makes their daily operation smooth.

The Benue State born auditor believes that the passage of the draft Audit Bill, which seeks to give the office of the Auditor General full autonomy, would put the office in its proper footing to perform its statutory functions.

The bill when passed into law, seeks to place the office on the first line charge of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government.

According to Consultant to the Auditor General of the Federation, Tijani Ahmed Shuaibu, who spoke on behalf of Ukura, scarcity of fund is hampering  auditors from carrying out their legitimate functions. He decried a situation whereby less than half of the 97 missions abroad had their accounts audited in 2012.