Drama in Senate as Senators cry out over paucity of fund

By Henry Umoru

Some Senators have raised the alarm over what they described as a paucity of funds, which has adversely affected the functioning of standing committees and the implementation of budgets.

Senators cried out on Friday during a meeting between Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West), who led the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and the Chairmen of the various standing committees.

The first to open up was Senator Anthony Ani, APC,  Ebonyi South, who declared that since the  inauguration of the Committee on South East Development Commission , not a dime has been given to the committee by the Senate to function .

He said, “Mr Chairman , you have read out the timetable to be followed by the various committees for consideration of the 2026 budget , but the Senate Committee on  South East Development Commission  that I belong to does not have money to organize a meeting with any agency due to zero allocation since formation and inauguration.”

According to him, based on credible information, other Senate committees on zonal development commissions are yet to be funded,  wondering how such committees can function.

In the same vein, Chairman, Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, Senator Titus Zam (Benue North West), said that the excitement that followed the creation of the commission should not be allowed to turn into lamentation.

He said, “Lack of funding for the Committees on Zonal Development Commissions in the Senate is gradually turning excitement that heralded them into disappointment and even into lamentation.”

Extending the lamentation to poor and multiple budget implementation , the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate , Senator Oyewunmi Olalere, PDP,  Osun West, admonished the  Appropriations Committee  to be on its toes  in making revenue-generating agencies  live up to expectations for effective budget funding.

He said, “The promise on single budget implementation from April 1st this year is being threatened , because parts of the capital component of the 2024 budget in terms of contracts execution , are not paid yet , not to talk of the 30% capital component of the 2025 budget expected to expire by the 31st of March .

” Today ( Friday) is January 30, which means that only two months are left for clearing off the leftovers of 2024 and 2025 budgets to pave the way for the promised single budget implementation from April 1st, 2026 .

“Mr Chairman,  a lot needs to be done between now and next month by your committee and critical stakeholders to prevent the continuation of   multiple budget implementations.”

On his part, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadaunsi, APC, Osun East, who also made a similar lamentation, told the Chairman and members of the committee to take the seriousness of the situation on the ground as regards poor budget funding to the appropriate quarters, saying, ” 2024 budget debt has not been paid.”

He said, “I concur with my colleague from our state on the yet to be fully implemented 2024 budget because the affected unpaid contractors are still carrying placards around . This committee must reach out to the critical stakeholders for the required tidying up of 2024 and 2025 budgets before 1st April 2026.”

In his contribution,  Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North, who stopped the lamentations  galore, told his colleagues to wait until full details of the N58.472trilliion 2026 budget are made available to them

Following Oshiomhole’s intervention, the Chairman of the Committee , Senator Adeola, called for an  executive session by  telling journalists to excuse themselves.

Vanguard News

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