By: Margaret Ebeshi
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) says it has formally responded to queries raised by the Auditor-General’s Office concerning its 2023 expenditure.
The Commission said its response, supported with documentary evidence, had been submitted to the Office of the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly.
NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.
Balogun said the Commission had comprehensively addressed all issues raised in the audit query.
“The query from the Auditor-General’s Office to Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) 2023 expenditure has been comprehensively responded to by the Commission,” he said.
According to him, the Commission had also officially submitted its response to the relevant oversight bodies.
He said enquiries concerning NiDCOM’s 2023 audited report should be directed to the Office of the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, which have the statutory mandate for oversight.
Balogun said that all questions raised in the audit process had been addressed with relevant documentary evidence.
He stressed that responding to audit queries was part of the normal accountability process for government institutions.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a query is meant to be responded to and NiDCOM, like any other responsible government institution, has done exactly that,” he said.
The NiDCOM spokesman cautioned against drawing conclusions before the Commission’s explanations and supporting documents had been fully examined by the appropriate authorities.
“An audit observation is not, in itself, a final finding of wrongdoing,” he said.
According to him, it was premature and inappropriate for any organisation to prejudge the Commission’s response or reach conclusions before the relevant facts, records and explanations had been fully considered.
Balogun reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to transparency, accountability and due process, saying the Commission would continue to cooperate with the relevant oversight authorities.
“NiDCOM remains committed to transparency, accountability and due process,” he said
