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BREAKING: Reps Summon SGF, Finance Minister Over Corruption In MDAs

Published

3 years ago

Feb 15, 2022.

The House of Reps Committee investigating the incessant corruption rocking various department heads has resolved to summon the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, heads of Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs). The House is seeking clarification of the high level of corruption rocking the MDAs.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the committees on Anti-Corruption and Public Service Matters on Tuesday summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and heads of Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) for failing to honour an invitation to an investigative hearing.

It was gathered that the joint committee is furious that none of the heads of the agencies was present at its investigative hearing on the High level of corruption on nominal rolls of MDAs.

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Deputy chairman of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Dachung Bagos said the joint committee will not hesitate to take further action if the heads of agencies fail to heed the summons.

Those summoned include the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, The Head of the Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and the Auditor General for the Federation, Adolphus Aghughu.

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Others are the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Bolaji Owasanoye, the Chief Executive Officer, Federal Character Commission, Muheeba Dankaka.

There is hardly a week at the national assembly without news of government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) failing to obey a summons issued by committees of the senate and house of representatives. Outsiders would think the lawmakers are not empowered by law to issue such summons, hence the usual disobedience. But that is far from the case.

The 1999 constitution provides for such powers for the lawmakers “to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it”.

To do this successfully, section 89 (1c) states they have the power to “summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place or produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, and examine him as a witness and require him to produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, subject to all just exceptions”.

WHY THEN ARE THESE SUMMONS USUALLY DISOBEYED?

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