The Senate has begun the process of establishing a tribunal to ensure strict implementation of the Audit report, which was adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly.
The Senate debated and passed a bill sponsored by its Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), to establish an Audit Report Tribunal.
In his lead debate on the bill seeking an Act to provide for strict implementation of the National Assembly recommendations on Annual Federal Audit Reports and related matters, Urhoghide stated that the proposed legislation was critical to the effectiveness of the war on corruption.
According to him, for the war on corruption to be effective, the Audit report’s findings and recommendations must be strictly implemented or enforced.
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“It is not enough for the National Assembly, as provided for in Section 88 of the 1999 constitution, to expose corruption through required investigation, but it must also go further, ensuring strict implementation of resolutions made,” he said.
Similarly, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, stated in his remarks that the missing link of strict implementation of National Assembly resolutions on yearly audit reports must be addressed. “The proposed legislation is very necessary.” For strict implementations of recommendations informing the prosecution of offenders, something akin to a Tribunal is required.
“A thorough public hearing on this bill must be held to determine how the Tribunal will be established as a powerful tool for combating corruption,” he said.
