Lagos Assembly Commences Audit Reports Of Over 200 MDAs Oversight

The Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts (State) on Monday commenced investigation into audit reports of over 200 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for probity and accountability.

The Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Moshoood Oshun, who spoke with newsmen after the committee interrogated the Physical Planning Permit Authority, said that the exercise was legal to ensure public funds were judiciously expended.

According to him, the exercise is an annual ritual for House Committee whenever the Auditor-General finishes auditing all the MDAs in Lagos State.

“This is expected by the law. We are going to treat every MDAs.

Lagosians stand to know how their money is being expended. The

exercise will ensure that public funds are spent in the right way.

“ There are processes that must be followed. Lagos residents voted

for us to protect their interests, protect their money and protect the

state. This is one way of doing that.

“We want to make sure that all tax-payers money is judiciously spent.

We want to make sure that the right thing is done, we want to make

sure that what has been appropriated for is done.

“Lagosians gain a lot from this kind of exercise.

On the challenges facing some of the MDAs in meeting their

expectations, Oshun said that committee would consider them and find solutions to ensure their optimal performance.

According to him, the Physical Planning Permit Authority has done very well in terms of revenue generation and achievements, though there is a room for improvement.

He urged the revenue agencies to work more in generating funds to

finance state budgets.

“MDAs should know they are out to serve the people of Lagos State to make sure residents feel safe and secured as well as to ensure that their money was not wasted of frivolities.

“I want to implore the MDAs to make sure their books are up to date,

to make sure that all loopholes are blocked and to make sure that tax

payers money are judicious spent.

Oshun, said that the committee was not in a rush in the investigation

but committee to do a thorough job as prescribed by the law.

“We have been elected to do this job, we have been paid to do it.

What is important to the House is to make sure that a good job is

done. We will investiagete well.

“We want to make sure that someone who has not done anything bad is not punished and to make sure that somebody who has done something bad is punished.

The Committee Chairman urged the MDAs to work with the House in law reviews, where necessary in order to ensure they match test of time for optimum performance.