Some senators on Friday raised concerns over what they described as a paucity of funds, saying the situation has crippled the work of standing committees and is threatening effective budget implementation.
The lawmakers voiced their concerns during a meeting between the Senate Committee on Appropriations, led by Sen. Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West), and chairmen of various standing committees.
Sen. Anthony Ani (APC, Ebonyi South) said the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission had not received any funding since its inauguration, making it impossible to carry out its oversight functions.
“You have outlined the timetable for consideration of the 2026 budget, but the committee I belong to has not been given a dime since its formation,” Ani said. “We cannot organize a meeting with any agency because there is zero allocation.”
He added that other committees overseeing zonal development commissions were also unfunded, questioning how they were expected to function.
Similarly, Sen. Titus Zam (Benue North West), chairman of the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission, warned that the lack of funding was turning the initial excitement over the creation of the commissions into frustration.
“The excitement that heralded the establishment of these commissions should not be allowed to degenerate into disappointment and lamentation due to lack of funding,” Zam said.
Extending the concern to budget implementation, Deputy Minority Leader Sen. Oyewunmi Olalere (PDP, Osun West) cautioned that the promise of a single budget implementation framework from April 1, 2026, was under threat.
He noted that parts of the capital component of the 2024 budget remained unpaid, while the 30% capital component of the 2025 budget was expected to lapse by March 31.
“Today is Jan. 30, which means only two months are left to clear the outstanding portions of the 2024 and 2025 budgets to pave the way for the proposed single budget implementation,” Olalere said.
He urged the Appropriations Committee to ensure that revenue-generating agencies meet expectations to prevent the continuation of multiple budget implementations.
Sen. Francis Fadaunsi (APC, Osun East) also lamented the poor funding of budgets, saying debts arising from the 2024 budget had yet to be settled.
“I concur that the 2024 budget has not been fully implemented. Contractors are still protesting because they have not been paid,” Fadaunsi said, calling on the committee to engage relevant stakeholders to resolve outstanding obligations from the 2024 and 2025 budgets before April 1, 2026.
However, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) urged his colleagues to exercise patience, advising them to wait until full details of the proposed N58.472 trillion 2026 budget were made available.
Following Oshiomhole’s intervention, Adeola called for an executive session and asked journalists to excuse themselves from the meeting.
