MIXED RESPONSIBILITY TO BLAME FOR POOR LOCAL GOVT PERFORMANCE AUDIT

The dilution of the accountability chain, occasioned by the issue of mixed responsibility, has been identified as a major challenge in the way of an effective performance audit system at the local government and area council level.

The Auditor General for the Federation. Mr A. M. Ayine, made the remark in a keynote address at the 24th Annual Conference of Auditors General for Local Governments in the Federation held in Abuja.

Mr Ayine said there had been instances where state and federal agencies performed functions that should ordinarily be the responsibility of local government.

These include basic education, primary healthcare, water, sanitation and waste management as well as basic infrastructure.

He expressed delight at the recent push by the federal government for direct funding of the local and area councils, which had made it imperative for the auditors to be equipped with all that was needed to hold the third tier of government accountable.

The AuGF maintained that with the new order, Auditors General for Local Governments must take concrete steps to be able to conduct audit to international standards and at a reasonably high quality, adding that they should offer expertise across the range of audit methodologies.

Mr Ayine encouraged the Auditors General to do an assessment of their current capabilities and systematically map out strategies for developing their offices, promising to support them in that regard.

The National Chairman, Conference of Auditors General for Local Governments in the Federation, Mr Abel Esievo, said the 24th Conference with the theme: Laying the Groundwork for Nigeria’s Public Sector Transformation: The Place of Auditors General; was designed to discuss issues relevant to the audit function and proffer solutions to issues bordering on accountability and prudent allocation and utilization of scarce resources.

Mr Esieve, who is Auditor General Local Government in Delta state, thanked the federal and state governments for partnering with auditors in their drive to enthrone accountability and give autonomy to the Office of Auditors General in the Federation.

He expressed the hope that the Audit Bill currently before the National Assembly would be passed and assented to, to further enhance the independence of the Auditors General.

The National Chairman spoke on the need for constitutional provision for the Office of Auditors General for Local Government and appealed to government at all levels to ensure adequate funding and provision of working tools for audit offices, including operational vehicles to enhance their performance.