The House of Representatives on Wednesday raised concerns over what it described as chronic underfunding of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, warning that the trend could undermine Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture and weaken public accountability.

The concern was raised during the 2026 budget defence session of the Office at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, before the House Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Mr Bamidele Salam.

While reviewing the proposed N15.88bn allocation to the OAuGF for the 2026 fiscal year, the committee noted that the figure represents approximately 0.027 per cent of the N58.47tn Federal Government budget.

Members described the allocation as grossly inadequate when weighed against the constitutional responsibilities of the Office, which is mandated to audit over 1,000 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as government-funded institutions across the country.

Salam said it is unrealistic to expect the Auditor-General’s Office to effectively scrutinise a proposed expenditure of N58.47tn with such minimal funding.

He disclosed that due to budgetary constraints in previous years, the Office was only able to audit five foreign missions out of about 100 Nigerian missions abroad.

The Osun lawmaker further lamented that in the 2025 fiscal year, only four per cent of the capital allocation to the Office was released, a development he said significantly impaired its operational capacity.

A breakdown of the 2026 budget estimate shows that N5.3bn is earmarked for personnel costs, N5.6bn for overheads, and N4.8bn for capital expenditure.

The lawmakers referenced international best practices as guided by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions, which emphasise that supreme audit institutions must enjoy sufficient, independent, and secure funding to carry out their mandates without interference.

They also underscored the importance of budgetary autonomy, noting that audit institutions are ideally expected to submit their budget proposals directly to the legislature or a designated parliamentary committee to safeguard their independence.

“This is associated with weak institutions, which have contributed to the corruption ravaging our country,” Salam stated.

The House Committee therefore urged the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to “prioritise adequate appropriation and full release of funds to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation to enhance its capacity to perform its constitutional mandate effectively and proactively prevent corruption, waste, and mismanagement of public resources.”

The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation is constitutionally empowered under Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to audit and report on the public accounts of the Federation and all offices and courts of the Federal Government.

Over the years, however, concerns have persisted over the Office’s limited financial and operational independence. Despite its central role in safeguarding public funds, the OAuGF has repeatedly faced budget cuts, delayed releases, and inadequate capital funding, constraining its ability to conduct timely audits, deploy modern audit technology, and build professional capacity.

Stakeholders in the accountability sector have long argued that weak funding for the nation’s supreme audit institution undermines oversight of government spending, particularly at a time when public expenditure continues to rise sharply.

The proposed N58.47tn 2026 Federal Government budget represents one of the largest in Nigeria’s history, further amplifying concerns about the capacity of the Auditor-General’s Office to effectively track and audit public spending without commensurate financial support.

Analysts say that unless funding and institutional autonomy for the Office are strengthened, efforts to combat corruption and ensure fiscal discipline may remain constrained.

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The Ogun State Government on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to empowering security agencies to combat crime and maintain law and order in the state.

The government has equally emphasised the deployment of technology to improve real-time crime-fighting and detection, to ensure that everyone in the state sleeps with their two eyes closed, while flushing out criminal-minded residents from the state.

The Secretary to the state government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, disclosed this on Wednesday while unveiling the CCTV control room of the Ogun State Security Network, otherwise known as Amotekun Corps, at their state command headquarters in Abeokuta.

Mr Talabi, who hailed the ingenuity of the Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig Gen Alade Adedigba (retd.), for setting up the CCTV Control Room, said the government is pleased that the security agency is embracing growth and professionalism and will be supported more to secure the state.

He stated that the importance of deploying intelligence and technology to keep any society safe cannot be overemphasised, saying that he was glad that the leadership of Amotekun not only had foresight but was also thinking progressively to raise the bar in ensuring a safe Ogun state for all.

The SSG said, “When we look at the fact that Amotekun is like a pioneer force that was deliberately set up to help with certain aspects of our security, and if you look at the time they have just been in existence, an initiative like this CCTV control room gives the state government a lot of confidence.

”It goes to show that at least the professionalism that we are expecting, somebody is strategically thinking about it.

“The fact that when the corps grows bigger, right now they have about 2,000 operatives, to administer 2,000 operatives needs some form of technology.

“To also be able to cover our very vast land, we need operatives, we need technology in very critical areas.

“This is a very good concept and I believe that with this in place, then we can start to begin to build on it and expand it. It’s a very good initiative. It’s something that we do. It’s something that will take us to the next level.

“It’s something that will significantly improve security in our dear state. I am definitely impressed with what I have seen so far with the demonstration. The template is good, and we can take it up from here.”

The SSG said that, although there are currently only three centres where the closed-circuit cameras are in operation, the state government is committed to scaling up the pilot phase and ensuring that every part of the state is covered.

Talabi emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among all security agencies, noting that security is a complex process that cannot be entrusted to any single saviour. Therefore, there is always a need for synergy to keep the state safe.

He said, “It is also good for us to emphasise the need for collaboration because we don’t want to take for granted what we have. I believe we have a good collaboration because we meet regularly.

“Everybody exchanges their own views, but we cannot overemphasise it because that is the strength that a state can have.

That is the place of capacity building. That is the place of efficiency.

“So if we then have a situation like somewhere and it happens that the operatives in that area cannot manage it, of course, we are going to call on other agencies. If we need the military, they will also join you in that capacity.

“So we will then agree on how to hold forth until enforcement comes from their own network, from other networks, and whoever is in need. I think that we are getting the right”.

Speaking at the event, the Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig Gen Adedigba, (retd.), said that the establishment of the CCTV control room would help the corps achieve optimal performance and enhance watertight security for the state’s residents.

He explained, “To start with, the interface between security and technology cannot be overemphasised. Security measures implemented without technology will only be reactive. It will be manual.

“But when you interface technology with whatever measures you put in place, it means you are proactive.

“And you can even run on autopilot.

“Therefore, setting up a CCTV control centre is a way to ensure that we enhance our performance in terms of response time, reducing the line of communication.

“For example, I am right now at our headquarters in Abeokuta, and I have a team somewhere in Ogere, which takes about 45 minutes, but when you have a system of this nature, real-time, as something is happening, you are relating to the man on the ground, and he’s responding.

“So you save time, you save life, and you achieve so much. So that is the reason behind the establishment of a system of this nature.”

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The Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency has warned food processors, garri production centres and street food vendors across the state to comply with strict hygiene and waste management standards or face sanctions, as part of efforts to curb the spread of Lassa fever.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Wednesday by its Press Secretary, Aliyu Amode, the agency said it was concerned about environmental practices that could heighten the risk of the viral disease.

The General Manager of Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency, Jide Aina, noted that Lassa fever is commonly transmitted through contact with infected rodents or the consumption of food contaminated by rodents’ urine or droppings.

“Food handlers occupy a critical position in safeguarding public health, particularly in preventing contamination during food processing, storage and sales,” the statement reads.

Aina directed garri processing factories and other food production facilities to ensure that raw materials and finished products are stored in rodent-proof containers at all times.

He also stressed the need for regular cleaning of processing equipment and facilities, as well as proper waste disposal to prevent rodent infestation.

The agency cautioned street food vendors against unsafe practices such as displaying or spreading food on bare ground, roadsides or other exposed surfaces.

Vendors were urged to always cover food items, maintain personal hygiene, wash hands regularly with soap and clean water, and dispose of refuse responsibly instead of dumping waste in drainage channels or public spaces.

“Key preventive measures include maintaining clean surroundings around business premises, using safe water for food preparation and ensuring proper handling and disposal of food packaging materials,” he said.

Aina announced that the agency would intensify routine inspections and enforcement activities across the state, warning that defaulters would face sanctions in line with environmental health regulations.

“Ensuring proper hygiene and waste management is not optional; it is essential to protecting lives. Together, we can drastically reduce the risk of Lassa fever and promote a healthier Kwara State,” he said.

He called on food business operators and residents to demonstrate collective responsibility in maintaining environmental cleanliness, stressing that preventing Lassa fever requires proactive action from all stakeholders.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that recent social media posts claimed that corps members at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Kwara State had died from Lassa fever.

However, the Kwara State Government debunked the reports, saying there has been no recorded outbreak or confirmed cases of the disease at the camp.

“The state’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), led by the State Epidemiologist, investigated the claims after rumours surfaced on February 8 and found no evidence of transmission or infection among corps members or camp officials,” the government said in a statement on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health’s Press Secretary, Saad Hamdalat.

The NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, further clarified that the corps member mentioned in the online posts had a pre-existing chronic condition and died at a health facility outside the camp, with no laboratory confirmation linking the death to Lassa fever.

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