Despite the necessary appropriation and their establishment by parliamentary act, the House of Representatives has declared that it will take up matters involving unfunded agencies by the federal government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja was informed on Thursday by Representative Ibrahim Isiaka, the chairman of the Special Committee on the Restructuring of Federal Agencies, Commissions, and Parastatals.
According to NAN, several commissions and agencies, including the Ministry of Health’s Nigeria Press Council (NPC) and others, have not received pay in a few months.
The chairman of the committee has previously stated that no agencies would be consolidated without the approval of the national assembly. Isiaka stated that agencies or commissions established by an Act of Parliament would not be combined until the Act authorising them was amended.
“This is the position of the law, and the only arms of government that can alter or amend the law is the parliament, even at the state level,” according to him.
He did, however, state that if such institutions were simply government departments that did not pass through parliament, the Federal Government had the authority to reform them.
According to the politician, this might be accomplished without the involvement of the national legislature.
He stated that the Federal Government recently issued a policy regarding the merger, acquisition, and subsumption of agencies.
The chairman stated that the government’s remark should not be interpreted as a suspension of their wages prior to the policy announcement.
“Aside from that, any agency concerned should bring the Act that founded it, as there have been so many agencies created.
“At the time of their establishment, they were not intended to remove money from the Federation Account due to time constraints and the purpose for which they were founded.
He stated that it was necessary to examine the funding mechanism of such an agency, noting that some agencies were established with the promise of being self-sufficiently supported.
The chairman stated that the agencies must have ran out of money and would like to collect funds from the federation account. He stated that this was not possible unless the law accepted it by including it into their Act.
Isiaka stated that the National Assembly would take up the issue as soon as it returned from break.
“The Act that established the agencies and the financial structure should be investigated. Where are they meant to get funding from? “If they are on the national budget and have been appropriated for, why won’t they be funded,” according to him.
He stated that the National Assembly would investigate the situation based on findings and a thorough examination of the Act’s relevant financial components.
The chairman stated that if such agencies were to be funded but were not, it would indicate that they had overcome the first hurdle.
“There is another leg to be looked upon into if there is provision for them in the appropriation and they are not receiving money,” he stated. “I will personally take that up and make it a motion of urgent national importance once we can get beyond these obstacles. He declared, “I’ll make it inclusive and not just for the NPC.”
In Essence
The need to examine the financial mechanisms and sources of funding for agencies is important.
Some agencies were established with the expectation of self-sufficiency, but over time, their financial situations may have changed, necessitating a review and possible adjustment of their funding sources.
The initiative to investigate why appropriated funds are not being disbursed to the relevant agencies will help identify any administrative or bureaucratic bottlenecks. This can lead to more efficient fund allocation and utilization, ensuring that agencies can carry out their responsibilities effectively.
