HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECOMMENDS REMOVAL OF SOME MDAs FROM THE 2025 BUDGET 19-12-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Public Accounts Committee, PAC, of the House of Representatives has recommended the removal of the National Examination Council, NECO, University of Ibadan, UI, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and 21 other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies MDAs of the Federal Government from the 2025 budget for their repeated failure to account for previous budgetary allocations and internally generated revenue.
The resolution which was reached during an extraordinary sitting of the Public Accounts Committee, followed the persistent non-compliance of these MDAs with the Committee’s summons, aimed at scrutinising their financial operations.
Among the agencies recommended for delisting are some of Nigeria’s most prominent federal institutions, including hospitals, universities, and development agencies.
The delisting recommendation comes after multiple invitations were sent to these agencies over the past several months, but they failed to attend the scheduled hearings or provide the necessary documentation requested by the Committee.
The MDAs involved include: Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria Police Force: Department of Information and Communication Technology, Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba, Delta State.
Others are, Federal College of Education, Yola, Adamawa State, Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Cross River Basin Development Authority, Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiation, National Examination Council, Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Galaxy Backbone, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.
Also, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, National Space Research and Development Agency, Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan and Federal School of Survey, Oyo State.
According to the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Bamidele Salam the Financial Regulation empowers the National Assembly to exclude any Ministry, Department, or Agency that fails to account for their previous appropriations. As such, the listed MDAs should be excluded from the 2025 budget until they appear before this constitutional committee.”
The committee unanimously recommended that the 24 MDAs should be excluded from the 2025 budget until they appear and provide the necessary clarifications.