VIDEO:Reps Grill Amnesty Programme Boss Over Ignored Summons, N26bn Audit Queries
By Paul Ebi
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday subjected the Administrator and President of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, to intense scrutiny following his long absence from parliamentary invitations amid allegations of massive financial irregularities.
Dr. Otuaro appeared before the committee after earlier threats of arrest, in compliance with a directive issued by the lawmakers last week. At the commencement of proceedings, the committee chairman ordered that the PAP boss be placed on oath before any engagement, citing the seriousness of the issues under investigation.
“You will recall that a motion was sustained on the floor of this committee directing the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to make himself available today, failure of which would activate the powers of this committee to order his arrest,” the chairman said.
After taking the oath, Dr. Otuaro was immediately confronted with questions over why he had allegedly ignored more than five invitations and failed to submit requested documents to respond to audit queries.
On record, the committee noted that the repeated absences were viewed as a sign of disregard for the authority of the National Assembly.
Responding, Dr. Otuaro denied any deliberate attempt to undermine parliament, explaining that the nature of the Amnesty Programme, which involves managing ex-agitators and sensitive national security issues in the Niger Delta, often requires his physical presence in the creeks.
“The programme started in 2009. I came on board in March 2024 and met enormous challenges in the Niger Delta. I spend most of my time in the creeks engaging beneficiaries one-on-one to ensure security and stability,” he said.
He further attributed delays in responding to invitations to bureaucratic processes involving the Office of the National Security Adviser, his supervising authority, as well as manpower constraints, noting that most staff of the programme are seconded civil servants.
“I am not here to justify anything. I am here to plead for understanding and forgiveness so that we can resolve these issues together,” Otuaro told the committee.
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His appearance followed earlier reports that the House of Representatives had issued a 72-hour ultimatum to him over alleged financial breaches amounting to over N26 billion, uncovered in audit reports under review by the PAC.
According to the reports, the alleged infractions include violations of federal e-payment policies, payments made without audit checks, undocumented tuition disbursements, unapproved cash advances, and breaches of procurement laws.
The committee has vowed to continue its probe and demanded that Dr. Otuaro return with all relevant documents and principal officers of the programme to fully answer the audit queries.As the investigation deepens, lawmakers insist the matter is a constitutional oversight duty, stressing that no government agency or official is above accountability.
The PAC is expected to decide its next line of action after reviewing submissions made by the Amnesty Programme, as the nation watches what many have described as one of the most critical accountability tests in the history of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
