Seek NITDA Clearance Over IT Projects; Auditor General Tells Staff
The Auditor General of the Federation, Mr Anthony Mkpe Ayine, in a statement from the Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations Unit of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has directed the staff of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, to henceforth request for the clearance issued by NITDA on any IT project when auditing the accounts of MDAs.
This disclosure of the Mr. Ayine's directive followed a visit to the Audit House by the Management of NITDA led by the Director General Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FBCS, in furtherance of collaborative drive to ensure value for money on procurement of IT goods and services in the country.
During the working visit of the NITDA management Mr. Ayine in his speech, stated that "the Office of Auditor General of the Federation would be pleased to collaborate with NITDA in the areas of development of Standards and the Regulation of the IT industry. Any MDA that introduces IT without NITDA’s clearance should be subjected to audit query", he said.
Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the NITDA Chief Executive while intimating the Auditor General on the purpose of the visit earlier, stated that his agency, as the IT regulator is empowered by law to be the clearing house for any IT project in the country with objectives of reviewing, justifying, analyzing it for value for money and to ensure sustainability.
"We are here today to collaborate and seek for support when it comes to auditing IT projects of MDAs and we want your office to always request for clearance obtained from NITDA by MDAs whenever you are auditing them".
"The law enables NITDA to prosecute any violator of the Act as attempts are ongoing to call violators to order and if they do not retrace their step, we will be glad to press charges against them and commit them to jail terms", Dr. Pantami further warned.
"We need to support each other and collaborate in auditing IT projects. Most MDAs use IT project to siphon public fund and auditing the IT projects in line with the Federal Government Circular will help a lot in reducing this anathema", the NITDA Director General advised.
The NITDA Chief Executive Officer revealed that the Presidency has been supportive of the Agency by redirecting MDAs to seek clearance from NITDA before embarking on any IT project. He added that recent intervention of the Federal Executive Council on a memo from one MDA on IT project has recently saved the country of N500 million.
While commending the Office Auditor General of the Federation on the audit report on the Agency, the DG assured that the report would be implemented to the letter as 90 percent of it has been implemented so far.
"I am the first Chief Executive Officer of the Agency to have implemented the audit report on the Agency. We reviewed the report by constituting credible people who were not in any way indicted in the report and their recommendations have been implemented up to 90 percent. The remaining 10 per cent are those that came forth with argument which the Economic and Financial Crime Commission is handling", he stated.
The Auditor General who was elated with the DG NITDA for daring all odds to implement the audit report, said that he has a partner in Dr. Pantami, describing him as someone who the country is yearning for.
"I am glad to hear that without being compelled, you implemented the audit recommendations. This will reinforce the auditing system and help the country in its anti corruption war, with the ultimate goals of having accountability and transparency which are pillars of good governance.”
Signed
Mrs Hadiza Umar MNIPR
Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations Unit
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