The Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to undertake financial audit, Jim Obazee, has implored lawmakers in the country to find a better way to address the corruption, inefficiencies and wastage in governance.

Speaking at ThisNigeria awards, where he and four other prominent Nigerians were recognised, submitted that legislators were to ensure that government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) deliver on their mandates by freeing funds locked up by corruption, inefficiencies and waste in government business for betterment of majority of the citizenry.
   
On the poor handling of palliatives by government recently, Obazee stated: “We have state Assemblies just as we have the National Assembly, the lawmakers therein are to track down corruption, inefficiencies and wastes in government business. That should be the role of the federal and state Assemblies. They should be able to design a better way to ensure government delivers on campaign promises and physical distributions.”

He highlighted the enormous power wielded by the lawmakers, including oversight functions, and powers to open the books of any government institution to ensure they operate under the dictates of their enabling Acts with accountability.
   
It would be recalled that Obazee, in his preliminary report to President Tinubu on December 2023, faulted approval of securitisation of the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means by the Ninth National Assembly, stating the action of the lawmakers contravened Section 38 of the CBN Act 2007. The report also noted that the advances to the government violated Section 80 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as it means spending public funds without appropriation by the National Assembly, which the report also criminalises under the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act, and is seen as stealing under the penal code applicable in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The report consequently recommended that the federal government should approach the Supreme Court to nullify the approval of the securitisation of the Ways and Means by the Ninth National Assembly as it contravenes section 38 of the CBN Act, 2007. Surprisingly, instead of heeding the call, the National Assembly went to approve the securitisation of another N7.3 trillion by the end of December 2023 and thereafter turned around to start probing the entire amount, which now stood at N30 trillion, as if they are now heeding Obazee’s call over the securitisation error.

The former Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the premier regulator in Nigeria, got the Gold Prize in Public Service from ThisNigeria Newspaper for unearthing and cleansing the Augean stable of malfeasance in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the immediate past governor of the bank, Godwin Emefiele.