NGO Urges Tinubu To Probe Unresolved Audit Issues At NNRA, TCN

The executive director of Global Integrity Watch (GIW), an independent civil society organisation, Comrade Abraham Temitayo Adewoye, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct relevant authorities to investigate and resolve outstanding financial and compliance issues raised in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s reports on the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

In a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja,  Adewoye made the call following GIW’s review of the Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance for the year ended December 31, 2024, and related audit observations involving the two federal institutions.

The organisation said its preliminary review identified financial matters running into hundreds of millions of naira, as well as other substantial transactions requiring clarification, reconciliation, recovery where applicable and evidence of compliance with previous audit recommendations.

GIW, however, cautioned that audit queries should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of corruption or criminal misappropriation, stressing that the affected institutions should be given the opportunity to provide documentary explanations and evidence of corrective action.

Adewoye said the organisation’s objective was to obtain answers and strengthen public accountability rather than prejudge individuals or institutions.

“We are not asking anyone to be condemned without evidence. We are asking for the evidence. If the money was properly spent, let the documents demonstrate it. If there was an accounting error, let it be corrected.

“If public funds are recoverable, they should be recovered, and where there is evidence of criminal conduct, the appropriate authorities should investigate,” he said.

GIW said its review of relevant NNRA audit observations identified approximately N191.4 million in financial matters requiring clarification and accountability.

According to the organisation, it has commenced correspondence with the Authority to obtain relevant payment records, approvals, management responses and evidence of implementation of the Auditor-General’s recommendations.

It said the audit materials contained observations relating to Letter of Credit transactions, bank charges, lending arrangements involving electricity distribution companies, Eurobond-related transfers, electricity wheeling income and emergency procurement.

GIW said the figures involved warranted closer scrutiny by relevant oversight institutions, while stressing that it would publish individual audit findings and their corresponding amounts separately.

The organisation said this approach was intended to avoid portraying every amount mentioned in an audit observation as money that had been lost or stolen.

GIW also urged the Presidency, the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees, the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and relevant anti-corruption and investigative agencies to strengthen follow-up on unresolved audit recommendations.

The organisation said the effectiveness of public auditing would be undermined if audit findings continued to remain unanswered after official reports had been submitted.

Adewoye said President Tinubu could not personally supervise every federal agency, stressing that heads of government institutions must understand that public office was a public trust.

“Those appointed to manage government institutions must understand that public office is a public trust. Nigerians should be able to ask reasonable questions about public expenditure and receive documented answers,” he said.

GIW said its accountability campaign should not be construed as an attempt to undermine the Federal Government, noting that it supported measures aimed at improving the Nigerian economy.

It, however, maintained that economic reforms must be accompanied by stronger institutional accountability and prudent management of public resources.

“Macroeconomic reforms can only translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary Nigerians if public institutions are properly managed and public resources are protected,” Adewoye said.

The organisation disclosed that it had commenced the submission of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to selected federal agencies, seeking copies of payment vouchers, procurement documents, approvals, beneficiary schedules, management responses to audit queries, recovery records, Treasury remittance evidence and correspondence with oversight institutions.

GIW said the affected agencies would be given an opportunity to respond before its final assessments are published.

It also urged government institutions to maintain functional official websites and accessible information channels to enable citizens to scrutinise public activities and access relevant public records.

The organisation said it would publish responses received from the agencies where appropriate, including documentary evidence showing that an audit finding had been resolved.

GIW further called on whistleblowers and members of the public with credible information on the management of public resources to provide documentary evidence through appropriate channels.

Adewoye said, “Our position is simple: public money belongs to Nigerians and Nigerians deserve answers. Accountability should not be regarded as an attack on government. It is part of good governance.”

GIW said it would continue its accountability campaign through research, FOI requests, public-interest reporting and engagement with relevant Nigerian and international stakeholders.