BY EMMANUEL IKPE, UYO
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has tasked Schedule Officers in the Office of the State Accountant General to ensure that all retirement documents tendered to the Office of the Accountant-General by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are promptly treated.
This was contained in the ratified audited accounts account of the State Government for the years ended 31st December 2021 and that of the 31 Local Government Councils for the years ended 31st December 2019 and 2020 respectively by the assembly lead by Rt Hon Aniekan Bassey.
According to report from the assembly press unit on Thursday, presentation of the audited account reports was done at Plenary by the House Committee Chairman on Public Accounts, Dr Charity Ido, representing, Ukanafun state constituency in the house, who said the audited accounts of the Akwa Ibom State Government and that of the 31 Local Government Councils by the Auditor-Generals were presented for ratification in line with the requirements of Section 125 (2) and (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, and Section 20 of the Akwa Ibom State Audit Law 2021,
According to the recommendations, ” there should be improved efficiency and effective communication network between the MDAs and Office of the State Accountant General on issues of retired imprests,”
The Report further recommended that “The Management of statutory Corporations who are in arrears of compliance to the statutory requirements in respect of submission of Auditor’s Report to comply accordingly within Six (6) months. The Zonal Directors and Principals of Schools should ensure that overpayment of salaries to retired/deceased staff are deducted. Failure to comply, the defaulting Directors/Principals shall be sanctioned.”
Meanwhile, the Audited Accounts of the 31 Local Government Councils says that “the
Auditor General for Local Governments, State Accountant General, Salary Consultant, Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs and Local Government Service Commission should draw up workable modalities to ensure that all outstanding arrears of Advances in the Council Books of Accounts are either retired, refunded or written-off as the case may be in all the councils.
It added that the Local Government Service Commission should take appropriate disciplinary actions against officials who refuse to release documents to Auditors. Officers who refused to respond to audit queries should be sanctioned in accordance with the relevant Provisions of the Civil Service Rules,” the report maintained.
Also, “adequate machineries should be put on ground for a full implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) in all Councils. Adequate training and retraining of staff of the Council be carried out in all the Councils to enhance efficiency and productivity. And the Local Government Service Commission should set up appropriate monitoring organ to ensure Internal Control weaknesses in the councils are addressed.”