HoR C’ttee calls for removal of UI, Labour, 21 others from 2025 budget

By Tom Okpe

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts Committee, PAC, has recommended delisting 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.

This resolution was reached during an extraordinary sitting of the Public Accounts Committee held on Thursday, at the National Assembly, Abuja

The decision, which follows 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.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep Abejide Salami at the meeting said the delisting recommendation comes after multiple invitations were sent to these agencies over the past several months, but, failed to attend the scheduled hearings or provide necessary documentation requested by the Committee.

He said: “The MDAs involved includes; 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.”

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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, NECO, Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil Kano, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Galaxy Backbone, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.

“Also involved are the 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 Chairman of the Committee, Rep Salam; “The Financial Regulation empowers the National Assembly to exclude any Ministry, Department, or Agency, MDA, 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, necessary clarifications.