Reps summon Auditor-General, Finance, Agriculture Ministers over missing records on farm subsidies

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating Agricultural Subsidies, Intervention Funds, Aids and Grants has summoned the Auditor-General of the Federation, alongside the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture, over the utilisation of funds released for agricultural programmes between 2015 and 2025.

The summons followed what lawmakers described as poor documentation and glaring gaps in records presented during a committee hearing in Abuja.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Jamo Aminu, expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to provide comprehensive audit reports on several agricultural subsidy and intervention schemes executed within the period under review.

According to Aminu, the investigation forms part of the House’s broader effort to scrutinise public expenditure in the agricultural sector amid worsening food insecurity, rising food prices and growing concerns over the effectiveness of past intervention programmes.

He noted that the committee expected detailed audit documentation that would enable it to trace fund disbursements, utilisation patterns and measurable outcomes of the various schemes established to boost food production, support farmers and strengthen national food security.

“We cannot effectively carry out this investigation without proper audit records. These funds span a decade and involve critical national programmes,” Aminu said, stressing that transparency and accountability in the management of public funds were non-negotiable.

Responding to lawmakers, a Deputy Director at the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adamu, explained that delays in producing the audit reports were largely due to the non-availability of key documents from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Adamu disclosed that the Auditor-General’s office had repeatedly requested relevant records on agricultural subsidies, grants, aids and intervention programmes but had not received the necessary cooperation.

“The primary source of these documents is the Ministry of Agriculture. Without those records, concluding the audit process has been difficult,” he said.

He further urged the committee to widen the scope of the investigation to include both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance, noting that the two ministries play central roles in the release, management and oversight of agricultural funds.

Following the exchange, the committee directed the Auditor-General of the Federation, as well as the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance or their designated representatives, to appear before it on February 3.

The panel warned that failure to honour the summons would attract legislative sanctions.

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