Reps Summon Auditor-General Finance and Agriculture Ministers Over Missing 10-Year Agriculture Fund Records

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The House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee investigating agricultural subsidies, intervention funds, grants, and aid has summoned the Auditor-General of the Federation along with the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture over what lawmakers described as glaring gaps in accountability for funds released to the sector between 2015 and 2025.

The summons follows what the committee termed as inadequate documentation and missing audit records presented during a resumed hearing at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Expressing frustration, the committee chairman, Jamo Aminu, faulted the Office of the Auditor-General for failing to produce comprehensive audit reports covering multiple agricultural subsidy and intervention programmes over the past decade.

Aminu noted that the investigation is part of the House’s oversight function to scrutinise public spending in agriculture, especially amid rising food prices, worsening food insecurity, and growing concerns over the effectiveness of repeated government intervention schemes.

“Without proper audit records, we cannot effectively carry out this investigation. These funds span a decade and cover critical national programmes,” Aminu said, stressing that transparency and accountability are non-negotiable.

Gossip News Now reports that Mohammed Adamu, a Deputy Director at the Auditor-General’s Office, told the committee that delays in completing audits were largely due to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture’s failure to provide essential documents.

Adamu stated that despite multiple requests for records on agricultural subsidies, grants, aid, and intervention programmes, the Ministry had not provided the necessary cooperation.

“The primary source of these documents is the Ministry of Agriculture. Without them, concluding the audit process has been difficult,” he said, urging the committee to expand the investigation to include both the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance, which play central roles in the release, management, and oversight of the funds.

Following the discussion, the committee directed the Auditor-General and the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, or their representatives, to appear before it on February 3. Lawmakers warned that failure to comply could attract legislative sanctions, in line with the powers of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, which resumed plenary on Tuesday after the Christmas and New Year recess, pledged to prioritise key legislative reforms in 2026. These include amendments to the Electoral Act, constitutional reviews, and rigorous scrutiny of the 2026 budget.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu made this known during the plenary, which opened with a valedictory sitting in honour of the late lawmakers Godiya Akwashiki, Okechukwu Ezea, and John Kojo-Brambaifa.

Kalu said amending the Electoral Act would be a major focus for 2026, assuring that outstanding issues in the bill would be addressed to ensure a seamless electoral process. He added that the House would also review select constitutional provisions and remain committed to translating the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible outcomes.

The Deputy Speaker further assured Nigerians that the 2026 budget would undergo thorough oversight to ensure it promotes effective governance and national development.

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