The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts has proposed the removal of the National Examinations Council (NECO), the University of Ibadan (UI), and 22 other agencies from the 2025 Budget due to unaccounted funds from previous allocations.
Committee Chairman, Bamidele Salam announced this decision during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, saying that the lack of accountability from these institutions significantly hampers the effective implementation of Nigeria’s budget.
Salam stated, “The Public Accounts Committee has a mandate to ensure accountability, probity, and efficiency in the use of resources allocated to ministries, departments, and agencies.”
He expressed frustration over the agencies’ repeated failure to respond to summons regarding their financial activities, noting, “Some agencies have become recalcitrant, refusing to honour invitations to account for previous allocations.”
He further explained that the Financial Regulations of 2009 allow for penalties against ministries that neglect their accountability duties. “One of the appropriate measures is to stop further funding for them,” Salam added.
Citing NECO as a prime example, he revealed that the agency had ignored five invitations from the committee. “They have neither responded to any of those invitations nor attended any summons,” he said, underscoring the committee’s commitment to enforcing accountability.
