Bauchi PAC Reaffirms Commitment to Transparency, Accountability in Public Funds
By Ahmed Ahmed
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Bauchi State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and due process in the management of public funds across the state.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mubarak Haruna, who represents Jama’are Constituency, stated this on Friday during a news conference in Bauchi, stressing that the committee remains guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Standing Orders of the House.
Haruna said the PAC’s core mandate is to examine audited financial statements of the state and local governments to ensure that public expenditures strictly comply with established financial rules and regulations.
He noted that since the inauguration of the current Assembly, the committee has intensified oversight by scrutinising reports from the Offices of the Auditor-General for the State and Local Governments.
According to him, the committee has undertaken oversight visits to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as local government councils, where accounting officers were invited to clarify financial records and respond to audit queries.
The PAC chairman added that the committee has also conducted public hearings, investigated allegations of financial irregularities and monitored the implementation of audit recommendations as part of efforts to safeguard public resources.
Haruna disclosed that all audit queries and observations contained in the 2024 Auditor-General’s report were thoroughly examined and addressed in line with laid-down procedures.
He emphasised that due process remains central to the committee’s work, warning that audit-related claims circulated outside recognised legal and institutional channels should be treated as speculative and misleading.
The chairman further said the House of Assembly has strengthened financial oversight through relevant laws and resolutions, while the PAC consistently submits its findings to the full House for necessary action.
Reaffirming the committee’s independence, Haruna assured the public of its resolve to operate without interference and pledged sustained commitment to prudent, transparent and accountable use of public funds.
