On this edition of our Parliament Meme, the focus is on the role of the Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC), known to be one of the highly empowered committees in both chambers of the National Assembly
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The Senate, by its rules, is mandated to have a Committee to be known as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) appointed at the commencement of the life of the Senate. PAC in the current Ninth Senate is chaired by Senator Matthew Aisagboriodion Urhoghide representing Edo South Senatorial District.
The Committee’s jurisdiction includes examining accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Senate to meet the public expenditure; together with Auditor’s report thereon.
The committee, in discharging its duty, have powers to send for any person, papers and records, to report from time to time to the Senate
It also has powers to examine any accounts or report of Statutory Corporations and Boards after they have been laid on the table for the Senate and to report thereon from time to time to the Senate
The Committee has powers to enquire about the report of the Auditor-General for the Federation with respect to any prepayment audit query which had been overruled by:
- The Chief Executive of the Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Departments or Agency of the Federal Government and Courts of the Federation and to report same to the Senate
- The Committee has powers to enquire about the report of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)
READ ALSO: National Assembly Meme: Rules of Debate in the Senate (Part 1)
Monday Meme is a public service programme by OrderPaper Nigeria designed to break down the esoteric terminologies of the legislature and how the institution of parliament generally functions.
