The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly ( AKHA ) today passed the Audited Accounts of the 31 Local Government Councils in the State.
Rising from a report which was presented before it by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Eric Effiong Akpan, informed the Speaker and members that his Committee diligently considered the Audit Report of each Council on merit, invited and interrogated relevant officers of the Councils and those who were indicted by the reports, adding that they also relied on the Regulatory Instruments-the Financial Memoir (FM),Operational Guidelines for Chairmen of Local Government Councils, Akwa Ibom State Government Audit Laws,2021 and Financial Circulars as appropriate and applicable, all to arrive at her decisions.
Hon. Akpan, who represents Nsit Ibom State Constituency, stated that the Committee successfully reviewed, reconciled and waived several cases, having been satisfied with the explanations and justifiable documents tendered as evidences by the councils and those indicted by the Reports at the end.
While noting that there were cases of unresolved and pending issues where the Committee was not satisfied with the explanations, cases were some persons who were invited could not be reached due to either retirement from service or death, refusal of Council Officials to retire Advances granted them for official assignment, Non-compliance of Councils to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and Failure of some Council Officials to reply to audit queries as at when due.
Other observations, Hon. Akpan, said the Committee noted were “Internal Control weaknesses in all the Local Government Councils, Failure of some Directors of Finance and the officials of the Treasury Departments to keep proper Books of Accounts and also prepare regular Bank Reconciliation Statements, Directors of Finance and Internal Auditors were often negligent in the signing and certification of payment vouchers before payments, Some items purchased by Officials of Councils were not taken on Store Ledger Charge and that Financial and General Purpose Committee (FGPC) Extracts were not attached to some Payment Vouchers.
The Committee however recommended that the Auditor General for Local Government, State Accountant General, Salary Consultant, Ministry of Local Government 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, that the Local Government Service Commission should take appropriate disciplinary measures against officials who refuse to release documents to Auditors.
He advised also that officers who refused to respond to audit queries should be sanctioned in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Civil Service Rules.
The Committee also made the following recommendations, that adequate machineries should be put on ground for a full implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in all councils, that Directors of Finance and other Heads of Departments should always abide by the Provisions of the Model Financial Memoranda and other Regulations to enthrone transparency and accountability in the Local Government system, while Internal Auditors of Local Government Councils should be trained on Internal Audit Functions and modalities.
The House was then dissolved into the Committee of the Whole, where the report was considered along with the report from the Committee on Finance and Appropriations.
The motion to pass the audited accounts was moved by the Deputy Leader, Rt. Hon. Otobong Bob and was seconded by the Chief Whip, Chief Effiong Johnson.
The Speaker, Elder Udeme Otong, after due deliberations called on the Clerk to communicate same to the State Governor for necessary action.
Meanwhile, the House at its plenary session today adjourned sitting to Thursday, 18th January, 2024 to enable members to celebrate Christmas season without any hindrance.
Press Unit, Office of the Speaker, AKHA.
