The Senate has threatened to withhold the 2023 Capital Budget of 100 Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies until they answer the queries raised against them by the Auditor General for the Federation.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan gave the threat on the floor of the Senate while ruling on a point of order.
The threat follows a point of order raised by the Chairman Senate Committee on Public Account Senator Matthew Urhoghide who informed his colleagues that one Guy Fred Agencies refused to appear before the committee despite invitations sent to them.
Some of the MDAs include the State House, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ministries of Interior, Transportation, Mines and Solid Mineral Development, Information, Communication, Petroleum, Defence, Police Affairs, and Sports.
Others are Works and Housing, Women Affairs, the State House, Presidential Fleet, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Independent National Electoral Commission, North East Development Commission, Nigerian Intelligence Agency and the Nigerian Air Force among others.
The queries covered in the auditor general’s report are from 2015-2018.
The Senate is giving the agencies a one-week deadline to communicate with the public accounts committee and set a date to appear before them failing which the Upper Chamber will withhold their budget.
