In a decisive move to enforce fiscal accountability, the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has issued a stern warning to agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security over non-appearance for budget defence.
Agency heads who fail to personally defend their 2025 budget estimates risk receiving no funding for the year.
During a session on Thursday, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee, and his House counterpart, Bello Kaoje, expressed frustration over the absence of key agency leaders for the budget defence, notably Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service.
Despite a presidential directive mandating their attendance, some officials were conspicuously missing.
Mustapha emphasized the non-negotiable nature of this requirement, stating, “There is no justification for the Chief Executive, as the accounting officer, not to appear before the committee.”
He further mandated Isegbe to appear by Monday, January 20, warning that failure to do so would result in a zero allocation for the agency.
The committee underscored the critical importance of agriculture in combating the projected food insecurity crisis.
Citing a World Food Programme report, Senator Mustapha highlighted that approximately 33.1 million Nigerians could face acute hunger in 2025, “Food security is not something that the nation should toil with.”
Concerns were also raised about the disproportionate ratio of capital allocation to recurrent expenditure in the current budget estimates.
The committee called for a realignment of focus and policies to enhance agricultural productivity and ensure food remains accessible to the average Nigerian.
Kaoje reiterated the necessity for agency compliance, noting the President’s directive for all heads to defend their budgets personally. He warned that any agency failing to appear would face serious consequences, including potential funding withdrawal.
