PUBLIC SECTOR AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES IN NIGERIA

The study investigated the relationship between public sector audit and accountability of federal government ministries in Nigeria with its specific objectives such as to determine the relationship between public sector audit dimensions and financial accountability, administrative accountability and social accountability. A well-structured questionnaire was developed and administered on the 26 Federal Ministries of Nigeria to facilitate the generation of primary data for the study. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was also used with aid of statistical package for social sciences version 23.0 to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that financial audit has a positive relationship with financial accountability, administrative accountability, and social accountability, compliance audit has significant relationship with financial accountability, administrative accountability and social accountability, while performance audit has a significance relationship with financial accountability. The study further indicates that auditing standards significantly moderate the relationship between public sector audit and accountability in federal government ministries in Nigeria. The study therefore, recommends that there should be persistent use of financial audit, compliance audit and performance audit in federal government ministries to ensure public accountability. Public sector administrators should ensure that financial audit, compliance audit, and performance audit are done annually as a means of providing financial, administrative and social accountability of public sector entities. Finally, the government should employ more qualified audit personnel and equip them with necessary working materials, training so that they can improve their efficiency