Reps Summon Auditor-General, Finance and Agriculture Ministers Over Farm Subsidy Funds

The House of Representatives’ ad-hoc committee investigating agricultural subsis, intervention funds, aids, and grants on Tuesday summoned the Auditor-General of the Federation, alongside the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture, over the disbursement of funds allocated to agricultural programmes between 2015 and 2025.

The lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the level of documentation presented at the committee’s investigative hearing held at the National Assembly, citing significant gaps in accountability and record-keeping relating to the utilisation of the funds.

Chairman of the committee, Jamo Aminu, faulted the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation for failing to submit comprehensive audited reports on several agricultural subsidy and intervention schemes executed within the period under review. He said the absence of detailed audit records had hindered the committee’s ability to properly trace fund disbursements, utilisation, and outcomes.

Aminu explained that the probe forms part of the House’s broader oversight responsibility to scrutinise public expenditure in the agricultural sector, especially against the backdrop of worsening food insecurity, rising food prices, and persistent concerns about the effectiveness of past government intervention programmes.

According to him, the committee expects complete audit documentation to assess how funds meant to boost food production, support farmers, and strengthen national food security were deployed. He stressed that transparency and accountability in the management of public funds were non-negotiable.

“We cannot effectively carry out this investigation without proper audit records. These funds span a decade and involve critical national programmes,” Aminu said.

Responding on behalf of the Auditor-General’s office, a Deputy Director, Mohammed Adamu, attributed the delay in producing the audit reports to the non-availability of key documents from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. He said repeated requests for records on agricultural subsis, grants, aids, and intervention programmes had not yielded the required cooperation.

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

He urged the lawmakers to widen the scope of the probe to include both the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance, noting that they play central roles in the release, management, and oversight of the funds.