NGO asks FG to act on audit reports, prosecute corruption in MDAs

The Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged the federal government to take decisive action on findings from audit reports and prosecute cases of financial misconduct flagged across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The group made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday in response to the recently concluded National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance (NCPAFG), organised by the house of representatives committee on public accounts.

Umar Yakubu, executive director of CeFTPI, said while the conference offers a platform for discussion, it risks becoming yet another symbolic exercise if the government continues to ignore the recommendations of the Auditor-General and findings from legislative probes.

“Among the several probes recorded in our Legislative Probes Monitor are those instituted by the Public Accounts Committee, which has investigated multiple cases of financial misconduct across MDAs,” the statement reads.

“Successive audit reports from the Auditor-General have exposed violations including unauthorized spending, unremitted revenue, procurement breaches, and inflated contracts. Yet, little action has followed. Probe reports gather dust, and audit findings are rarely prosecuted.”

Yakubu said the failure to act on audit infractions undermines transparency, fosters impunity, and erodes public trust in government institutions.

“It is not enough for officials to gather and speak glowingly about reforms when infrastructure remains broken, service delivery is poor, and corruption is still widespread,” he said.

He urged the federal government to go beyond verbal commitments by ensuring that public funds lost to corruption are recovered, and that officials responsible for fiscal abuse face legal consequences.

According to the group, such measures must be timely, transparent, and non-selective.

CeFTPI also called on the federal government to fully institutionalise e-procurement across MDAs to eliminate fraud and manipulation in public contracting processes.

The group noted that access to public financial information must become a national priority, in line with the transparency benchmarks captured in its annual Transparency and Integrity Index (TII).

“The citizens who suffer the consequences of fiscal mismanagement deserve more than communiques — they deserve action,” Yakubu said.

He noted that the performance of federal institutions on the TII over the past four years has been consistently poor, reflecting a lack of genuine commitment to open governance.

“It is also time to adopt participatory budgeting models that empower citizens, especially at the subnational level, where accountability is weakest,” he added.

CeFTPI warned that unless the government shows the political will to punish fiscal infractions and improve the quality of public financial management, the objectives of forums like the NCPAFG will remain unfulfilled.

The centre also reiterated its support for ongoing legislative oversight, but noted that progress will depend on the executive’s willingness to enforce accountability.