The House of Representatives has recommended excluding the National Examinations Council (NECO), the University of Ibadan (UI), and the Nigeria Police Force, alongside 21 other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), from the 2025 federal budget. This decision follows allegations of repeated failure to account for previous budgetary allocations and internally generated revenue (IGR).
During an extraordinary session of the Public Accounts Committee in Abuja, Committee Chairman Bamidele Salam disclosed that the resolution was reached after several months of non-compliance by the affected agencies. Despite multiple invitations and reminders, the MDAs failed to appear before the committee or provide the required financial documentation.
Agencies in Question
The recommendation affects various key institutions, including hospitals, universities, and federal ministries. Among the MDAs listed for delisting are:
- Federal Medical Centre, Bida
- Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment
- Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria
- Department of Information and Communication Technology
- Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba
- Federal College of Education, Yola
- Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe
Speaking on the decision, Salam emphasized the committee’s constitutional mandate to ensure accountability in public expenditure.
“The Financial Regulation empowers the National Assembly to exclude any ministry, department, or agency that fails to account for their previous appropriations,” Salam stated. “These MDAs have been non-compliant despite repeated invitations, making it imperative to recommend their exclusion from the 2025 budget until they meet their financial reporting obligations.”
Persistent Non-Compliance
The committee noted that invitations had been extended to the agencies over several months, with no satisfactory response. Salam added that the lack of cooperation obstructs the legislature’s oversight functions, which aim to scrutinize the financial activities of government entities.
Committee Resolution
In a unanimous decision, the Public Accounts Committee proposed that the 24 MDAs, including NECO, UI, and the Police Force, be delisted from the federal budget until they comply with the constitutional requirement to appear and clarify their financial operations.
This bold move underscores the House’s commitment to fostering transparency and accountability in governance, even as it sends a clear message to non-compliant MDAs about the consequences of their actions.
Hobnob News will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as events unfold.
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