THE office of the Auditor-General of Enugu state, has berated the management of several boards, parastatals, and government-owned companies, over their repeated failures to submit the yearly audited accounts of their establishments as provided for by law.
According to the report of the State Auditor-General Dr. Livinus U. Okoro, on the account of the Government of Enugu State, for the year ended 31st December, 2023, some of the affected boards, parastatals and companies have not submitted their audited accounts for periods ranging between five and twenty years.
The report obtained by SummitNews shows that only few of these bodies had its accounts audited up to 31st December 2021 or 2022.
“Significant improvement was noted in the auditing of the arrears of accounts of some of the parastatals during the period under review.
“The actions as taken by the managements and boards of these establishments evidenced the determination of the present government to render accounts of stewardship as and when due,” says the report.
However, the auditor-general’s report frowns at the repeated failures of the management of several boards, parastatals and companies in the state to submit their yearly audited accounts, saying their action contravene Section 125, sub-section 3 (a & b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, which mandates the bodies to produce their annual accounts “for review and comments by the auditor-general at least six months after the end of each year.”
According to the report, “periodic audit checks where carried out on some of the accounts of the parastatals during the year, which evidenced some management’s unwillingness to account or render stewardship report on trusted resources.”
The auditor-general’s office advised that the edicts establishing some of the bodies need to be amended “to improve the present-day Management, and the constitution of boards, where necessary for effective management.
This is just as the report also recommended for the recapitalization or liquidation of moribund bodies or companies in the state.
The companies include Niger Steel Company Limited, Awgu Games Village, Niger Gas Limited, Sunrise Flour Mills Limited, both in Emene.
SEE TABLE BELOW
The position of audited accounts of these bodies as at 31 December, 2023 are as shown below.
NAME OF THE PARASTATALS, TERTIARY INSTITUTION, BOARDS AND COMPANIES
OUTSTANDING YEARS OF ACCOUNT
1
Enugu State University of Science and Technology – Outstanding years of account – 2022-2023 –
2
Pilgrim Welfare Christian Board – Outstanding years of account -1996-2023
3
Enugu State Housing Development Corporation –
Outstanding year of account- 2023
4
Enugu state transport company Outstanding year of account –
2023
5
Niger steel company Ltd – Outstanding year of account – 2003-2023 – Moribund
6
Community development co-ordinating council – Outstanding year of account- 2003-2023
7
Rural electrification board – Outstanding year of account –
1991-2023
8
Post primary school management board – Outstanding year of account – 2020-2023
9
Agency for mass literacy – Outstanding year of account-
2003-2023
10
Enugu state council for art and culture – Outstanding year of account- 2003-2023
11
Awgu Games Village – Outstanding year of account – 2003 – 2023 – Moribund
12
Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board – Outstanding year of account- 2022-2023
13
Enugu Tourism Board – Outstanding year of account – 2022-2023
14
Institute of Management And Technology (IMT), Enugu – Outstanding year of account- 2019-2023
15
Niger Gas Company Ltd, Emene – Outstanding year of account-
2003-2023 – Moribund
16
Enugu State Water Corporation Outstanding year of account –
2023
17
Enugu State Library Board – Outstanding year of account-
2002-2023
18
Ada Rice project – Outstanding year of account-2003-2023
19
Enugu State Gaming Commission – Outstanding year of account –
2022-2023
20
United Palm Limited – Outstanding year of account-
1999-2023
21
Enugu State Science And Technology Vocational Board – Outstanding year of account –
2022-2023
22
Enugu State College Of Education (Technical) – Outstanding year of account – 2017-2023
23
Nigeria Construction And Furniture Company – Outstanding years of account – 2008-2023
24
Premier Cashew Industry Oghe – Outstanding year of account –
2003-2023
25
Nike Lake Protea Hotel –
Outstanding years of account – 2018 – 2023
26
Sunrise Flour Mill Ltd – Outstanding years of account-
1999-2023 – Moribund
27
Enugu State Waste Management Authority(ESWAMA) – Outstanding years of account – 2010-2022
28
Enugu State Teaching Hospital (Parklane) – Outstanding years of account – 2022-2023
29
Enugu State Broadcasting Service – Outstanding years of account –
2015-2023
30
Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo
– Outstanding year of account – 2016-2023
31
Agency For Legal Aid Council – Outstanding years of account-
2007-2023
32
Enugu State Independent Electoral commission – Outstanding years of account – 2015-2023
33
Enugu State Scholarship Board Outstanding years of account – 2022-2023
34
Rangers Management Corporation – Outstanding years of account-
2022-2023
35
Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency – Outstanding year of account-
2023.
SummitNews learnt that as required by law, the report of the auditor-general on the account of the government of Enugu State, for the year ended 31st December, 2023, has been submitted to the Public Accounts Committee of the State House of Assembly, for necessary action.
The House, through its Committee on Public Accounts, is mandated by law to punish any ministry, department, and agency of government that infringes on the provisions of Section 125 of the 1999 Constitution.
