About eight Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have spent N728 million on foreign trips and conferences without getting appropriate approval, according to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAuGF).
This is contained in its annual report on the non-compliance/internal control weaknesses in MDAs of the Federal Government for the year 2020.
The audit, scrutinizing the fiscal activities for 2020, pinpointed notable entities such as the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), both located in Abuja, alongside the University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.
The list extends to include the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, among others.
These public organisations have been identified for their oversight in bypassing critical approval processes mandated by either the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) or the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), which should have been secured within the first quarter of the budgetary year prior to the execution of such expenditures.
This oversight not only highlights a lapse in internal control mechanisms but also raises questions about the fiscal discipline and accountability within these pivotal federal institutions.
The report read:
The audit also noted that Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Abuja has spent the highest amount of N361.79 million, which is nearly 50% of the total amount spent by MDAs without the right approval.
The report read:
