Senators cry out over paucity of funds

 

Some senators have raised the alarm over what they described as a paucity of funds, warning that it is affecting the work of standing committees and threatening smooth budget implementation.

The concerns were raised on Friday, January 30, during a meeting between Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West), who led the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and chairmen of the various standing committees.

Senator Anthony Ani (APC, Ebonyi South) said his committee has been unable to function since it was inaugurated because it has not received any funding from the Senate.

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 Ani, based on credible information, other Senate committees on zonal development commissions are also yet to be funded, and he questioned how such committees can carry out oversight without resources.

In the same vein, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, Senator Titus Zam (Benue North West), said the lack of funding was already changing public expectations around the new commissions.

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.”

Shifting focus to budget implementation, the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Oyewunmi Olalere (PDP, Osun West), urged the Appropriations Committee to push revenue-generating agencies to meet expectations, warning that the promised move to a single budget implementation from April 1, 2026, is being threatened by outstanding obligations.

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.”

Olalere added, “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.”

He concluded, “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.”

Also speaking, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadaunsi (APC, Osun East) said the issue of unpaid obligations from the 2024 budget remains unresolved and urged urgent engagement with stakeholders.

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.”

As the complaints continued, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) urged his colleagues to hold off until details of the N58.472 trillion 2026 budget are fully available to them.

Following Oshiomhole’s intervention, Senator Adeola called for an executive session, asking journalists to excuse themselves.