In a firm stance aimed at holding government agencies accountable, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to several key revenue-generating agencies to appear before them or risk losing their 2025 funding. The committee’s move follows the failure of numerous agencies to honor invitations for their budget defense sessions, a critical step in evaluating their financial performance and justifying their budget requests for the coming year.
The agencies affected include high-profile bodies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), and several others involved in critical sectors like aviation, agriculture, and health.
Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, expressed his disappointment, noting that despite the Nigerian President’s directive requiring all ministers and heads of agencies to defend their budgets, many agencies have failed to appear. He emphasized that this failure undermines the transparency and accountability of the government’s budgeting process.
“If these agencies refuse to appear before us, the Joint Committee will not hesitate to recommend withholding their appropriations,” said Senator Musa. He clarified that for self-funded agencies, the committee would request the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to halt their funding.
James Faleke, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, echoed the sentiment, highlighting the importance of the budget defense exercise as a means to boost revenue generation and reduce the country’s reliance on borrowing.
The National Assembly’s firm stance underscores the seriousness of the issue, with the Joint Committee set to take further action if the agencies fail to comply with the ultimatum.
The Senate has adjourned plenary until January 28 to give the heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) ample time to defend their allocations as part of the N49.7 trillion 2025 Appropriations Bill. This suspension of plenary followed a motion by Deputy Senate Leader Senator Ashiru Oyelola and was approved by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
As Nigeria prepares to navigate its 2025 financial year, this showdown between the National Assembly and government agencies over budget transparency and accountability signals a critical moment for the country’s fiscal discipline.
