The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has pledged to ensure the submission of the long-delayed 2023, 2024 and 2025 Auditor-General’s reports, as lawmakers moved to tighten oversight and plug revenue leakages across federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The committee’s chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, made the commitment at a retreat for PAC members, staff and key stakeholders held in Ghana, where he decried the persistent delays that have hampered the legislature’s constitutional mandate of public financial accountability.
Salam said when the current leadership of the committee assumed office in 2023, only the 2019 report had been submitted, describing the situation as unacceptable for effective oversight.
“We had to push to get the 2020, 2021 and 2022 reports, but that is still not good enough because we are already in 2026,” he said.
“Immediately after this retreat, we will convene a meeting of the Accountant-General, the Auditor-General, the Financial Reporting Council and other stakeholders to agree on a definite timeline that will fast-track the submission of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 reports.”
He expressed confidence that the backlog would be “substantially cleared” before the end of the year, adding that timely audit reports were central to strengthening transparency, curbing waste and ensuring prudent use of public funds.
Salam noted that the retreat provided an opportunity for introspection, performance review and agenda-setting for 2026, stressing that clearly defined targets and performance benchmarks would improve productivity and oversight outcomes.
“When you set targets at the beginning of the year, it gives you a roadmap for evaluating progress and adjusting strategies where necessary.
“Ultimately, it should translate into greater efficiency in the work of the National Assembly,” he added.
Deputy chairman of the committee, Mr Jeremiah Umaru, said the PAC had, in previous years, helped government recover substantial revenues and block leakages through its oversight interventions.
“In 2026, our focus is to drive this process more effectively by engaging all stakeholders and building the capacity of our members and staff,” he said.
“The leakages in the system are mind-boggling, but with the leadership we have and cooperation among members, we are confident of achieving more.”
Also speaking, Clerk of the Committee, Mr Ogunsanya Olufemi Titus, described the retreat as critical to repositioning the PAC for improved performance, noting that preparation was key to success.
“This retreat allows us to review what we have achieved, identify challenges and chart the way forward,” he said.
“The Public Accounts Committee is the only constitutional committee in the National Assembly, and its mandate is to ensure prudent use of resources, proper allocation and utilisation, and accountability by MDAs.”
Consultant to the committee, Dr Samuel Ibrahim, said the training programme was designed to strengthen both the technical and soft skills of members and staff, particularly in stakeholder engagement and audit oversight.
“Some sessions focus on stakeholder management and soft power, while others address technical competencies needed to deploy the committee’s constitutional authority effectively,” he said.
The PAC’s renewed push comes amid growing concerns over delayed audit reports, which analysts say weaken legislative scrutiny and allow financial infractions within MDAs to persist unchecked.
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