NECO, 23 MDAs risk removal from 2025 budget over accountability issue

The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives has recommended excluding the National Examination Council, University of Ibadan, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and 21 other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from the 2025 budget.

This recommendation follows the repeated failure of these MDAs to provide accountability for previous budgetary allocations and internally generated revenue.

During an extraordinary sitting held on Wednesday in Abuja, the committee reached a unanimous decision to exclude the 24 MDAs from the 2025 budget unless they appear and offer the necessary clarifications.

Committee chairman Bamidele Salam emphasized the need for accountability, stating:
“The Financial Regulation empowers the National Assembly to exclude any Ministry, Department, or Agency that fails to account for their previous appropriations. Therefore, the listed MDAs should be excluded from the 2025 budget until they comply with this constitutional requirement.”

The affected agencies include the Federal Medical Centre, Bida; Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; Nigeria Police Force’s Department of Information and Communication Technology; Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba; Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital; Cross River Basin Development Authority; Galaxy Backbone; and the Presidential Amnesty Programme, among others.

This resolution underscores the committee’s commitment to ensuring fiscal discipline and transparency in government agencies.