Senate confirms Chira as Auditor General of the Federation

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Mr Chira

By Yusuf Salihu Sansani, Jalingo

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Shakaah Kanyitor Chira as the substantive Auditor General of Nigeria.

Presenting his brief biography during his screening at the Senate, Mr. Shakaah Kanyitor Chira an indigene of Taraba State said he holds a Masters degree in Public Accounts and before his nomination by President Bola Tinubu he was the Director Audit at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Mr. Chira observed that the major problem of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation is funding disclosing that in the 2023 budget only N52m was budgetted for the Office for Capital Projects which could not do anything for the office and urged the Senate to do the needful to enable the office function effectively.

Adding his voice before the confirmation of the new Auditor General of the Federation, the Senator representing Taraba South David Jimkuta said the new Accountant General is from his Constituency and thanked President Tinubu for finding him exceptionally worthy to be nominated.

“I am happy that Mr. Chira was the overall best during the screening and interview of candidates for the position, infact he is the best among the best we have discussed with the other two Senators from Taraba State Senator Haruna Manu of Taraba Central and Shu’aibu Isa Lau of Taraba North and we have all supported his nomination by Mr. President I am urging this hallow Chamber to do same and give him the chance to bow and leave the Chamber,” he said.

Senator Ahmed Lawan the immediate past Senate President from Yobe State congratulated the nominee, adding that he has served in the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate for eight consecutive years and during this period he understood the problems of the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

“Audit House is a transitional root of the Office of the Auditor General a challenge of having a befitting environment for the Auditor General is Paramount the office has been neglected for too long by the Executive the office is dilapidated,” Lawan noted.

“The first institution to effectively fight corruption, injustice and all financial Problems is for the Senate to past the Audit Bill for the Office of the Auditor General to function effectively, President Tinubu is an Accountant the first step to fight corruption is from there we should look at the Bill and past it to ensure that they serve the Country better”.

Senator Ahmed Wadada from Nasarawa State in his contribution observed that Passing Exams and interviews by the new Auditor General was not good enough for him to do the best, as far as the Audit is concerned the National Assembly has to do the needful by assenting to the Audit Bill before it and the President to ensure that all aspects of the bill are equally treated and to critically look at the budgetary aspects of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.