The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, PAC, has issued a seven-day summons to the Directors of Personnel Management and Finance, as well as Heads of Audit in the Six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). They are to appear on October 14, 2026, or face sanctions. The summons follows the councils' failure to appear before the Committee to answer questions over alleged financial infractions contained in audit reports involving about N100 billion.
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Bamidele Salam, stated that the councils had repeatedly failed to honour invitations and provide documents required by the committee to resolve the audit queries. The last date of appearance of the Abuja Area Councils was September 22, 2026, which was a date they requested and which was granted by the committee. Yet, they failed to appear or send in any representation.
The committee has uncovered further concerns in audit reports for 2022 and part of 2023, including alleged understatement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), unauthorised disposal of assets, non-disclosure of statutory revenue, and failure to remit withholding tax to the appropriate authorities. The councils had also failed to audit and submit their financial accounts for 2023, 2024, and 2025, contrary to statutory requirements.
The audit queries are contained in the Annual Audit Report of the Auditor-General for the Six FCT Area Councils for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021. According to the report, the six councils had outstanding liabilities of about N7.65 billion arising from unremitted pension deductions, Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Value Added Tax (VAT), and withholding tax, as well as unpaid obligations to contractors.
A breakdown of the outstanding liabilities showed that AMAC accounted for the highest outstanding liability of N2.19 billion, followed by Bwari with N1.49 billion and Kwali with N1.46 billion. Gwagwalada had N1.01 billion in outstanding liabilities, Kuje N892.2 million, and Abaji N593.8 million. The liabilities were due for remittance to the Nigeria Revenue Service, FCT Inland Revenue Service, Pension Fund Administrators, and contractors.
The Auditor-General also faulted the councils over the management of their fixed assets, noting that asset registers were not properly maintained and updated. Gwagwalada Area Council was specifically cited over non-current assets valued at N336 million, which were not properly recorded and updated. The committee is seeking explanations and supporting documents on N24.87 billion expended by the six councils on personnel, overheads, and capital expenditure in 2021.
The breakdown of the expenditure showed that AMAC spent N5.03 billion, Gwagwalada N4.66 billion, Kuje N3.85 billion, Kwali N3.84 billion, Bwari N3.74 billion, and Abaji N3.71 billion. The lawmaker stressed the need for public funds to be managed with transparency, accountability, and prudence, warning that officials found culpable would be held accountable in accordance with the law.
Key points
- The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has issued a summons to the Directors of Personnel Management and Finance, as well as Heads of Audit in the Six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
- The six councils had outstanding liabilities of about N7.65 billion arising from unremitted pension deductions, Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Value Added Tax (VAT), and withholding tax.
- The committee is seeking explanations and supporting documents on N24.87 billion expended by the six councils on personnel, overheads, and capital expenditure in 2021.
