The Senate Committee on Public Accounts (SPAC) has approved the 2025 budget proposal for the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF).
The committee, chaired by Senator Aliyu Wadada Ahmed (SDP, Nasarawa West), had earlier this week directed the Auditor-General, Shaakaa Chira, to address certain discrepancies identified in the initial budget presentation.
During the re-presentation on Thursday, the committee granted approval for the revised budget.
However, the Auditor-General highlighted ongoing challenges related to understaffing in the office, prompting a request for the recruitment of 247 additional personnel.
In his remarks, Senator Wadada stated, “The grey areas observed in the 2025 budget proposal presented by the Office of Auditor-General of the Federation on Tuesday this week have been addressed and cleared, as seen in the updated proposal presented today.
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“Accordingly, this committee has resolved to approve the budget for onward submission to the appropriation committee.
“The Auditor-General is, in many ways, a key member of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts and, by extension, the House of Representatives. The budget for this office deserves the attention it requires.”
“Your budget has been passed for now, but please ensure that the grey areas observed earlier do not recur, as your office is both strategic and sensitive,” he added.
In response, Chira expressed gratitude to the committee for reconsidering and approving the 2025 budget proposal.
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He noted that the eventual passage of the budget by the National Assembly would significantly enhance the office’s performance in the upcoming fiscal year.
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