FOIA INFORMATION
Fiscal Responsibility Commission hereby makes available the following information, pursuant to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):
The Commission, its Responsibilities and Structure
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission was established under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 with mandate to enforce the fiscal rules provided therein to ensure prudent management of the Nation’s resources, long-term macro-economic stability of the national economy, secure greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations within a medium-term fiscal framework, and the promotion and enforcement of the Nation’s economic objectives under the Constitution.
The Commission has a 5 year single term Board constituted of an Executive Chairman and Six (6) fulltime Commissioner appointed from the Six Geopolitical Zones, and 3 part-time members representing: (i) the Organized Private Sector (ii) Civil Society engaged in causes relating to probity, transparency and good governance and (iii) the Organized Labour. The Chairman and all members of the Board are appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate.
The Key Mandate of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission
Promoting Prudent And Transparent Fiscal Management In Nigeria
Vision
A Transparent And Accountable Government Financial Management Framework Of Nigeria.
Mission
To ensure that revenue-raising policies, resource allocation decisions and debt management decisions are undertaken in a prudent, transparent and timely fashion.
The Structure and Responsibilities of the Commission
In order to properly discharge its mandate the Commission is structured into Six (6) Directorates, namely: (1) Finance and Administration; (2) Legal, Investigation and Enforcement; (3) Monitoring and Evaluation; (4) Policy and Standards; (5) Planning, Research and Statistics; and (6) Strategic Communications.
Each Directorate is further divided into Departments (Units). The duties assigned to the respective directorates are as follows:
- 1. Offer legal counsel and advice to the Commission on any matter.
- 2. Prepare and arrange for legal representation of the Commission in all legal proceedings.
- 3. Carry out all investigations in response to contraventions of the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
- 4. Process and produce reports of investigations of violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act which would be forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution or to other agencies as the case may be.
- 5. Request for and scrutinize relevant information when there is reasonable suspicion of non-compliance.
- 6. Design and execute enforcement/compliance measures that are consistent with the provision of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
- 7. Examine and propose amendments to existing laws and regulations which would enhance the performance of the Commission.
- 8. Prepare and vet all agreements, contracts and legal documents involving the Commission.
- 9. Assist State and Local Governments with the design of their Fiscal Responsibility bills/bye laws.
- 10. Ensure that members of the public seeking to enforce the Act are not hindered in any way.
- 11. Liaise with PRS and M&E Directorates to prepare/fine tune fiscal responsibility guidelines.
- 1. Ensuring the timely production and submission of all reports as provided for in the Act.
- 2. Providing the format to be adopted for the production of reports by MDAs as spelt out in the Act.
- 3. Monitoring and evaluating revenue and expenditure performance by MDAs (vis-à-vis variance and deviations from the appropriation).
- 4. Provision of technical data and support from monitoring activities and programmes.
- 5. Monitoring the preparation of MTEF, rolling plan and other related reports.
- 6. Monitoring the preparation and implementation of the Federal Government Annual Budget as well as the budgets of the scheduled corporations.
- 1. Formulating and periodic review of Fiscal Responsibility guidelines, policies and strategies in human, financial, organizational and operational management to enable the Commission achieves its set goals.
- 2. Continually assess the Commission’s Vision and Mission Statements, long and medium-term objectives and devising strategies for achieving them.
- 3. Organizing the Commission’s reporting procedures and processes in order to ensure that the Commission adheres to all its obligations under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 (FRA) in a timely and effective manner.
- 4. Sourcing for financial and technical assistance for the Commission and ensuring transparent and efficient implementation of donor supported projects.
- 5. Appraising the implementation of donor supported projects by MDAs, other than the Commission, to ensure transparent and efficient utilization of donor resources.
- 6. Monitoring the management of public debts.
- 7. Monitoring of borrowing by all tiers of government.
- 8. Monitoring the management of government savings and assets.
- 9. Monitoring the management of the proceeds from the sale or transfer of public properties and rights over assets.
- 10. In collaboration with the PRS, establish such standard practices that will result to greater efficiency in allocation and management of public expenditure, revenue collection, debt control and transparency in fiscal matters.
- 1. Offer legal counsel and advice to the Commission on any matter.
- 2. Prepare and arrange for legal representation of the Commission in all legal proceedings.
- 3. Carry out all investigations in response to contraventions of the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
- 4. Process and produce reports of investigations of violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act which would be forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution or to other agencies as the case may be.
- 5. Request for and scrutinize relevant information when there is reasonable suspicion of non-compliance.
- 6. Design and execute enforcement/compliance measures that are consistent with the provision of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
- 7. Examine and propose amendments to existing laws and regulations which would enhance the performance of the Commission.
- 8. Prepare and vet all agreements, contracts and legal documents involving the Commission.
- 9. Assist State and Local Governments with the design of their Fiscal Responsibility bills/bye laws.
- 10. Ensure that members of the public seeking to enforce the Act are not hindered in any way.
- 11. Liaise with PRS and M&E Directorates to prepare/fine tune fiscal responsibility guidelines.
- 1. Carry out fiscal and financial studies, analysis and diagnoses on the national economy and for public dissemination/enlightenment to the Commission.
- 2. Carry out comparative studies on (1) above with what obtains in other countries and advise the Commission on desired action.
- 3. Undertake country-wide (Federal & States) study of the budgets and plans, as well as expenditure patterns and identify the resultant effect,
- 4. Operate and maintain the Commission’s library and database. Maintain database for federal projects as well as sundry matters.
- 5. Preparation of the Commission’s development plans and
- 6. Monitor the MTEF preparation and implementation, and highlight deviations to the Commission.
- 7. Responsible for the implementation, operation and maintenance of the Commission’s information and communications technology.
- 8. Handling the selection, appointment and review of consultants to the Commission.
- 9. Responsible for the Commission’s tender and procurement
- 1. Responsible for coverage and publicizing the activities of the Commission.
- 2. Responsible for dissemination of information to the general public as required under the FRC Act, 2007.
- 3. Engage in public education and enlightenment of the Commission’s activities.
- 4. Responsible for the Commission’s publications and public relations management.
- 5. Responsible for packaging and branding the activities of the Commission.
- 6. Responsible for organizing the most prudent and transparent agency of the Year Award.
- 7. Monitoring all press publications on the Commission and reacting as appropriate.
- 8. Preparation of addresses and speeches.
- 1. Movement and custody of Commission’s papers to and from the Presidency.
- 2. Custody of Commission’s seal.
- 3. Servicing of the Committees of the Commission
- 4. Process and maintain welfare and passages of members of the Commission
- 5. Servicing the meetings of the Commission
- 6. Produce and extract the resolutions of the Commission and circulate to appropriate Directorates and Units.
- 7. Responsible for Protocol issues for the Commission.
- 8. Commission Secretary Reports to the Commission.
- 1. Examine the internal financial control system as approved by the Commission.
- 2. Carry out prepayment audit.
- 3. Continuous review and checking of revenue receipts and other incomes.
- 4. Monthly review of bank reconciliation
- 5. Quarterly periodic stock taking and cash surveys
- 6. Quarterly audit of the financial activities of the Commission
- 7. To make quarterly submission on the above to the Commission
- 8. To raise audit alarm to the Commission in the event of insistence on suspicious or wrong payments or discovery of material discrepancies.
- 1. Handles passages/ movement of Chairman and Members of the Commission
- 2. Protocol arrangement for guests and visitors of the Commission
- 3. Handling of Commission’s hospitality
- 4. Handles protocol matters generally.
- 5. Reports to the Chairman of the Commission
- 1. Handles press coverage of the Chairman and Members of the Commission
- 2. Keeping of photographs, videos, tapes of the Commission’s activities.
- 3. Handling of public address (system) equipment.
Records and Manuals of the Commission
A list of the manuals, records, and other documents which staff of the Commission use in carrying out the programmes of the Commission include:
- Fiscal Responsibility Act,
- Public Service Rules,
- Financial Regulations
- other extant laws and regulations;
- Annual Financial statements of Scheduled Corporations and other agencies.
- Operating Surplus Calculation Template;
- Budget Implementation Reports;
- Projects Verification Reports;
- Debt Verification Reports;
- Fiscal Responsibility Index materials
This list above is provided with a view to aiding the exercise of the right to information under the FOIA.
Other important documents
The links hereunder lead to documents containing:
- Substantive Rules of the Commission – Operating Surplus Template.
- Statements and interpretations of policies of the Commission – Fiscal Responsibility Act; Operating Surplus Template.
- Factual reports, inspection/verification reports and studies – 2014 Annual Report; 2016 Annual Report; 2018 Annual Report; 2019 Annual Report; Capital project verification reports; Fiscal Responsibility Index report.
- Information relating to receipts and expenditure of public and other funds – Annual Financial Statements (Contained in Annual Reports: 2014 Annual Report; 2016 Annual Report; 2018 Annual Report; 2019 Annual Report)
The Freedom of Information Desk Officer
All applications for information under the FOIA are to be made to
The Chairman,
Fiscal Responsibility Commission,
for the attention of
The Freedom of Information Desk Officer,
Legal, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate
Fiscal Responsibility Commission
Abuja