House Summons AuGF over $36.1m World Bank Loan

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts yesterday summoned the Acting Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Aghughu Adolphus, over $36.1million World Bank Assisted Fiscal Governance and Institution Projects to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

The committee Chaired by Hon. Wole Oke, gave the order at the resumed investigation of the World Bank Assisted loan, following the absence of the Acting Auditor General of the Federation as the team led by a Deputy Director, Mr. Babalola Olanrewaju, could not explain to the parliament the rationale behind taking the loan in the first instance.

According to Oke, “We want to know what the loan was meant for before going to sign for it? What was your procurement plan before arriving at that figure? Or is it a reward? We need to know the programme plan how you want to utilise the loan. The Acting Auditor General of the Federation, we are aware of his journey but there is no need to hurry about it, let him cause appearance before the committee on next week Tuesday to come and explain the rationale behind the loan and to provide other vital information about it.

“Let him come and brief us properly, it is a loan that will be paid back and the next ten years now, you will leave the service of the federation, your children and our children will be the one that will be repaying the loans to our creditors, that’s why the man himself has to come and explain to the parliament personally.

“We knew the efforts we made about getting to the root of the loan, we knew how many battles we fought about it, the office of the Auditor General of the Federation is starved with funds, the place is under staffed, yet that huge amount is hanging somewhere, this not acceptable

“The office of the Auditor General of the Federation is saddled with the responsibility of auditing all the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government for accountability and to boost anti corruption crusade of the President Muhammadu Buhari.”

He then directed the Clerk to the committee to write the Acting Auditor General of the Federation to course appearance before the committee by next week Tuesday to address the parliament personally over the loan.