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Defend 2024 Budgets Or Lose 2025 Allocations – N’Assembly Warns Agencies
The National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has warned that it will deny budgetary allocations for 2025 to agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security whose heads fail to account for their 2024 budget performance and projections for the coming year.
The committee issued the warning during a budget defence session on Thursday in Abuja.
The panel insisted that only chief accounting officers of the agencies would be allowed to present and defend their budgets, expressing dissatisfaction with the absence of several agency heads despite a presidential directive mandating their presence.
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DG Absence Sparks Backlash
The committee was particularly critical of the absence of Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, who was scheduled to brief lawmakers on his agency’s 2024 performance and 2025 projections.
Senator Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, criticized the DG’s decision to send a representative, stating:
“We are not going to attend to you. When the President came to present this budget, he made it clear that all heads of agencies must come to defend their estimates and should therefore call off any plan to travel… Why is it now that your principal chose to travel? Tell him that we are available tomorrow.”
He directed the DG to appear in person by Monday, January 20, warning that the committee would not tolerate further delays.
The committee highlighted alarming projections by the World Food Programme that 33.1 million Nigerians could face acute hunger in 2025, emphasizing the critical need to address food security. Senator Mustapha underscored the importance of increased budgetary provisions to combat challenges in the agricultural sector:
“The projection by the World Food Programme that about 33.1 million Nigerians will face food insecurity in 2025 is an indication that food crisis is what we cannot allow to happen and we collectively need to avert.”
Kaoje, the House of Representatives counterpart to Mustapha, reiterated the President’s commitment to tackling food security, referencing the 2024 declaration of a state of emergency on the issue.
He assured the committee’s support in addressing agricultural challenges.
“We will put our heads together with the appropriation committee to make sure that the renewed hope agenda of the President is achieved in the area of food security.”
The committee also heard complaints from agency heads about insufficient funding and operational difficulties:
National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC): DG Ishiak Khalid revealed that only 9% of the agency’s 2024 capital allocation was released, leaving it unable to fulfill its mandate effectively.
“Without quality seeds, it is difficult to have good yields,” he said.
Nigerian Agriculture Development Fund (NADF): Executive Secretary Muhammed Ibrahim disclosed that the agency had received no capital allocation in 2024 and was struggling with manpower shortages.
“About 15 months after we assumed office, we are yet to have a salary scale. Most of our staff members are contracted while some are deployed from other agencies of government,” Ibrahim stated.
The Joint Committee pledged to advocate for increased budgetary allocations and address manpower issues in the agricultural sector.
Senator Mustapha emphasized the need for collaboration to ensure food security and agricultural productivity.
The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has assured corps members deployed to the state of their safety, despite rising security concerns across the region.
Speaking on Friday through the Commissioner for Youth, Sports Development and Creativity, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, Governor Alia said his administration is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of all National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members throughout their service year.
“Sadly, our nation is currently bedevilled with security challenges, and Benue State is not exempt,” the governor stated.
“However, let me quickly allay your fears and assure you that, as a government, we are committed to ensuring that your safety is guaranteed throughout your stay in the state.”
He noted that comprehensive protective measures have been implemented across corps lodges and other areas occupied by corps members in the state.
Governor Alia also encouraged the new corps members to take full advantage of the NYSC’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, describing it as a “gateway to great opportunities.”
He further urged them to use their God-given talents to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.
In her remarks, the State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Veronica Garba, thanked the governor and the people of Benue for their continued support of the scheme.
She charged the new inductees to actively participate in the four cardinal components of the orientation course: physical training, motivational lectures, sporting activities, and SAED.
The orientation exercise welcomed a total of 1,600 corps members, officially inducted into the programme by Justice Peter Ukande, who represented the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambeae.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the appointment of a new Acting Director of Administration for the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu.
This was contained in a statement in Uburu on Thursday by the DUFUTH’s Public Relations Officer, Agwu N. O.
According to Agwu, the new appointee is Edith Anih, an indigene of Enugu State with relevant working experience, having worked at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, where she was Deputy Director of Administration.
It was gathered that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated April 23, 2025, addressed to the Chief Medical Director.
Prior to her appointment, Anih held the position of Deputy Director of Administration at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
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He wrote, “Mrs. Anih Edith Ndidi is a seasoned administrator born on May 22, 1973. She is married and hails from Enugu State, specifically Enugu South Local Government Area.
“She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management. She is also an associate member of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria (IHSAN).
“The Management of DUFUTH extends a warm welcome to the new DA and looks forward to collaborating with her as she brings a fresh perspective to the hospital’s administrative leadership.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to launch a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in a major move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
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Edun explained that the upcoming audit, along with recent changes in NNPCL management, is part of a broader effort to reform the state-owned oil company and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s economic institutions.
Addressing top global investors, including representatives from financial giant J.P. Morgan, Edun outlined a series of bold economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the measures are already yielding positive results and have laid a strong foundation for future growth.
“Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it,” Edun said. “We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
According to Edun, Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an overall annual growth rate of 3.4%.
He described the government’s economic strategy as “unprecedented,” adding that key indicators such as the budget deficit, trade balance, and exchange rate have all shown signs of improvement.
“We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course,” he emphasized.
The minister also highlighted the government’s focus on agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, saying efforts are underway to close the food supply gap by empowering local producers.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
In the area of infrastructure, Edun announced that 90,000km of fibre optic cable has been rolled out to boost internet connectivity, especially for young Nigerians and the tech ecosystem.
Additionally, 4,000km of roads have been earmarked for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.
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