Some senators on Friday raised concerns over the lack of funds, saying it is already affecting the functioning of standing committees and budget implementation.
The lawmakers raised the issue during a meeting between the senate committee on appropriations and the chairpersons of the standing committees.
Anthony Ani, senator representing Ebonyi south, said the senate committee on south east development commission has not received any funding since its inauguration.
“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 organise meetings with any agency due to zero allocation since formation and inauguration,” Ani said.
The senator said other senate committees on zonal development commissions are also yet to be funded, questioning how they are expected to function.
Supporting the complaint, Titus Zam, chairman of the senate committee on north central development commission, said the excitement that followed the creation of the commissions should not turn into disappointment.
“Lack of funding for the committees on zonal development commissions in the senate is gradually turning the excitement that heralded them into disappointment and even into lamentation,” Zam said.
Speaking on budget implementation, Oyewunmi Olalere, senate deputy minority leader, urged the Solomon Adeola-led appropriations committee to ensure revenue-generating agencies meet expectations.
“The promise on single budget implementation from April 1 this year is being threatened because parts of the capital component of the 2024 budget in terms of contract execution are not paid yet,” he said.
“Not to talk of the 30 percent capital component of the 2025 budget expected to expire by March 31.”
He said only two months remained to clear outstanding obligations for the 2024 and 2025 budgets to allow the proposed single budget implementation from April 1, 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,” he said.
Francis Fadaunsi, senator representing Osun east, said the 2024 budget is yet to be fully implemented.
“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 critical stakeholders for the required tidying up of the 2024 and 2025 budgets before April 1, 2026.”
Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, urged senators to wait until full details of the N58.472 trillion 2026 budget are made available.
Following Oshiomhole’s intervention, Solomon Adeola, chairman of the committee, called for an executive session and asked journalists to excuse the meeting.
During plenary on Thursday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio revealed that the Oshiomhole-led ad hoc committee to investigate the persistent derailment of Nigeria’s trains was yet to commence work due to paucity of funds.
“But we will look for money for them to commence work immediately,” Akpabio said.
