Akume urges stronger oversight to curb public revenue leakages

​The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, CON, has called for stronger collaboration among fiscal and oversight institutions to deepen transparency, accountability, and prudent public financial management in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

​Senator Akume made the call while receiving the management of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), led by its acting Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Charles Chukwuemeka Abana, in Abuja.

​Institutional Synergy for Accountability

Senator Akume stressed the need for stronger institutional collaboration between the commission and key government agencies—including the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Debt Management Office—to eliminate the duplication of responsibilities and strengthen fiscal governance.

​”I want to urge deeper collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General, the Federal Debt Management Office, and other oversight institutions to eliminate duplication and strengthen fiscal governance,” he said.

​Safeguarding Public Finances

​Senator Akume acknowledged the commission’s strategic role in safeguarding fiscal discipline and promoting transparency and accountability in the management of public finances, describing the institution as a critical pillar in Nigeria’s fiscal governance architecture.

​He noted that fiscal responsibility remains fundamental to sustaining macroeconomic stability, boosting investor confidence, ensuring debt sustainability, and promoting the efficient utilisation of public resources across all tiers of government.

​”The Fiscal Responsibility Commission occupies a strategic position in strengthening public financial management and ensuring that government resources are managed with discipline, transparency, and accountability in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the Secretary to the Government of the Federation said.

​Revenue Reporting and Automation

​Speaking earlier, the acting Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Charles Chukwuemeka Abana, stated that the commission’s renewed focus is directed at improving transparency in revenue reporting, ensuring the timely remittance of operating surpluses into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and eliminating revenue leakages and wastage across public institutions.

​He added that through enhanced monitoring of operating surpluses from Government-Owned Enterprises and independent revenue generated by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, the commission recorded approximately ₦1.84 trillion in monitored independent revenue as at September 2025 and has set an ambitious target of ₦2.5 trillion for 2026.

​In a bid to reposition the commission for effective service delivery, he said it has reviewed and upgraded its Operating Surplus Calculation Template, originally developed in 2016, to reflect current fiscal realities, including the provisions of the Finance Act, 2020, and subsequent fiscal policy reforms. He further disclosed that the template has now been fully automated to improve efficiency, accuracy, and transparency in revenue computation and compliance monitoring.