House Summons Minister, SON over Six Years’ Unaudited Financial Accounts

House Summons Minister, SON over Six Years’ Unaudited Financial Accounts

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo and the management of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to appear before it over the audited financial account of SON for six years.

The minister and the management of SON were summoned to appear before the House Committee on Public Account summoned on Friday following an unanimous adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Fredrick Agbedi, during an investigative hearing yesterday in Abuja.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Wole Oke, said that SON had refused to honour several invitations to appear and explain why it had failed to render accounts from 2014 to 2019.

Oke ruled that they were to appear unfailingly on Friday by 11 a.m. or the committee would be forced to invoke the relevant sections of the law.

He stated: “The SON has refused to render account and even to appear before the committee for an investigation bothering on none rendition of account.

“This agency has repeatedly refused to appear before this parliament. We do not believe that SON is bigger than the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or above the law of the land.

“If they have nothing to hide, they should appear and tell us why they have refused to render account to the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF).”

Oke said that SON is holding the AGF hostage by not rendering accounts.

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