FG Hires Forensic Firms To Audit NNPC, FIRS, Others

The federal government has concluded plans to appoint two international forensic audit firms to audit the accounts of all its revenue generating agencies.

Addressing the media in Abuja yesterday, the chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) adhoc committee on the management of Excess Crude Account Proceeds and Accruals into the Federation Account, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, said the audit will be a who list is one that will unravel the secrecy that had trailed accountability in revenue collection.

“Given our mandate, even if we are professional accountants, because we are sitting governors, we do not have the time to do the kind of forensic auditing which this assignment entails. Therefore, we have agree to appoint two international reputable auditing firms,” he said.

He said the audit will cover a five-year circle beginning from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2015 but could be extended if need be.

Oshiomhole, who addressed the media alongside governors of Kaduna, Gombe and Akwa Ibom States, said the forensic audit initially carried out on the NNPC on missing funds that had to be remitted into the Federation Account was marred by secrecy.

He said no agency will refuse to open its books to the audit firms as the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will not condone official secrecy in whatever form.

Speaking on the sideline of the media briefing, Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai said the move to engage the audit firms was arrived at in order to uncover massive corruption in the revenue collection process.

He expressed optimism that Nigerians will have all their questions answered by the time the audit is completed.