The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts in Nigeria has proposed the exclusion of the National Examinations Council (NECO), the University of Ibadan (UI), and 22 other government departments and agencies from the 2025 federal budget.
This recommendation stems from alleged mismanagement and failure to account for funds allocated to them in 2024 and previous years.
Chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam, revealed this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Thursday. He attributed inefficiency in Nigeria’s budgetary implementation to a lack of financial discipline within these institutions.
Salam explained that these agencies have consistently ignored summons from the House, which were meant to provide clarity on how previous budgetary allocations were spent.
“The Public Accounts Committee, as a constitutional body, is mandated to ensure accountability and efficiency in the use of resources allocated to ministries, departments, and agencies,” Salam said. “Unfortunately, some agencies have become recalcitrant, refusing to honor invitations or submit documents authenticating their use of funds.”
Citing NECO as an example, Salam disclosed that the council has failed to respond to five invitations or appear before the committee. Similar behavior was reported among the 24 agencies under scrutiny.
As per the Financial Regulations of 2009 and other enabling laws, ministries and agencies that fail to account for their allocated funds or ignore legislative summons can face penalties, including suspension of further funding. The committee’s recommendation to delist these agencies underscores its commitment to enforcing transparency and fiscal accountability in public institutions.
The final decision now rests with the National Assembly as the 2025 budgetary process unfolds.
