The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating agricultural subsidies, intervention funds, aids and grants has summoned the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Agriculture over the utilisation of funds released for agricultural programmes between 2015 and 2025.

The summons followed what lawmakers described as unsatisfactory documentation and gaps in accountability records presented during a committee hearing at the National Assembly.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Chairman of the committee, Jamo Aminu, expressed displeasure over the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to provide audit reports for several agricultural subsidy and intervention programmes within the period under review.

Aminu said the probe was part of the House’s ongoing efforts to scrutinise public spending in the agricultural sector amid rising food prices, worsening food insecurity and concerns over the effectiveness of past intervention programmes.

He said the committee expected comprehensive audit reports that would enable lawmakers to track disbursements, utilisation and outcomes of various schemes established to boost food production, support farmers and enhance 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

According to him, transparency and accountability remained non-negotiable.

But a deputy director in the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adamu, told the committee that the delay in producing the audit reports was due to the non-availability of key documents from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Adamu said the Auditor-General’s office had made several requests for records relating to agricultural subsidies, grants, aids and intervention programmes but had yet to receive the required cooperation.

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

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

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

The panel warned that failure to honour the summons would attract legislative sanctions in line with the powers of the National Assembly. (The Guardian)