FAAC funds: Legislature must rise to question expenditure for accountability

Conditions in Nigeria have brought the necessity to begin to question certain structures. The issues of funds and allocations failing to satisfy the standard of what they are meant for has become a subject of grave concern.

Increasingly, issues of mismanagement of public funds have become more  concerning, particularly as the harshness of the economy began to make the need to question why increasing allocations do not reflect betterment of conditions. Such mismanagement and misappropriation are issues that question the credibility of government across all levels in the Nigerian Federation.

Recently, the House of Representatives declared intent to probe into the spending of funds allocated to State Governments from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

The green chambers mandated its relevant Committees to probe into states’ spending and utilisation of the increased allocation from FAAC,  based on observation that the increase in allocation has failed to translate into development and a change in prevailing conditions.

This resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Shomolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, at a plenary session recently.

Presenting the motion, Kuye had noted that the amount shared by the three tiers of governments from FAAC has increased significantly, owing to the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, floating of the Naira and other economic policies introduced by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration

The lawmaker had noted that states and local governments received a total of N6.57 trillion in 2023 which doubled the N3.16 trillion they collected in 2022. He had expressed concern that despite the availability of more cash to the states, 14.2million more citizens continue to wallow in poverty as most of the states with increased allocation face significant challenges in payment of salaries, and effective management of public institutions, while the unemployment rate has increased to over 51 percent in some of them.

“Most worried that state governors have brazenly refused to complement the Federal Government poverty amelioration efforts and are not driving the necessary economic transformation that will reduce citizen suffering in their respective states with the increased allocation at their disposal,” Kuye had said.

Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committees on Special Duties, National Planning and Economic Development and Inter-Governmental Affairs to look into state spending and utilisation of the increased allocation from FAAC and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

The necessity to make government bodies at all levels accountable for public funds has become non-negotiable. In the wakening of the worsening of economic conditions in the Country which formed the basis for deep seated disturbances and distress across the Federation, it is pertinent that tackling the myriads of socio-economic and political woes which are increasingly bewildering the Country from the root has become essential. The crumbling of the economy and the associated social defects have formed the source of several disturbances reflecting in numerous dimensions.

Resetting the socio-economic fabrics of the Country is now a necessity which cannot be overemphasised. The need to make the government at all levels accountable for every fund received has become essential to address the deficits of provisions needed to finance projects and interventions which are critical to revamping the economy and addressing social needs.

The era of misappropriation and mismanagement can no longer be condoned if the Country would be salvaged from the rippling impacts of the deficiencies which currently are sprouting disturbances of numerous kinds across the Country.

It is pertinent for lawmakers in all legislative arms, at all levels, to rise to their oversight function to dispassionately probe into the expenditure of all offices within their sphere of jurisdiction. As they also carry out such function, decisively without bias and sponsored interest, it is essential the legislative assemblies also serve in example in the expenditure of their own funds.

It is important to awaken the government in the Country to accountability and responsibility, as anything short exposes the entire Country to threats of collapse. All relevant bodies of authority, within the executive block, the legislature and the judiciary cannot continue to tolerate mismanagement while the Country risks revolution.