Reps Public Accounts Committee Recommends Budget Exclusion For NIMET, FHA, SON, NAICOM, NABTEB And 17 Other Agencies Over Accountability Breaches
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended the exclusion of 2026 budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), alongside 17 other federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), over persistent failure to account for public funds and refusal to comply with legislative oversight.
The Committee, chaired by Representative Bamidele Salam, made the recommendation during its public hearing on Thursday, following repeated invitations and directives to the affected agencies to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s Annual Reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Other agencies recommended for budget exclusion are:
* Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
* Federal Ministry of Housing & Urban Development
* Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development
* Federal University of Gashua
* Federal Polytechnic, Ede
* Federal Polytechnic, Offa
* Federal Medical Centre, Owerri
* Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi
* Federal Medical Centre, Bida
* Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi
* Federal Medical Centre, Katsina
* Federal Government College, Kwali
* Federal Government Boys’ College, Garki, Abuja
* Federal Government College, Rubochi
* Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Owerri
* Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria
* FCT Secondary Education Board
According to the Committee, the agencies failed to submit critical financial records and declined to appear before it to address audit observations relating to non-compliance with Financial Regulations, violations of due process, and serious weaknesses in internal control systems.
The PAC added that several of the agencies have also failed to submit audited financial statements for periods ranging from three to five years and above, contrary to statutory requirements.
Speaking during the hearing, the Chairman of the Committee, Representative Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” Salam said.
He added that the recommendation is not punitive but corrective, aimed at restoring fiscal discipline and strengthening transparency across federal institutions.
The Committee maintained that the proposed suspension of budgetary allocations is consistent with relevant provisions of the Financial Regulations 2009 and the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly.
