Drama As Senators Argue Over Poor Funding Of Committees

Some senators have raised the alarm over what they described as a paucity of funds, warning that inadequate funding has adversely affected the operations of Senate standing committees and the implementation of budgets.

The senators voiced their concerns on Friday during a meeting between the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West), and chairmen of the various standing committees.

The first to raise the issue was Senator Anthony Ani (APC, Ebonyi South), who disclosed that since the inauguration of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission, the committee has not received any funds from the Senate to carry out its responsibilities.

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 organise a meeting with any agency due to zero allocation since formation and inauguration.”

Ani added that, based on credible information available to him, other Senate committees overseeing zonal development commissions had yet to receive funds.

He wondered how such committees could function effectively without financial support.

In the same vein, the Chairman, Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, Senator Titus Zam (APC, Benue North West), warned that the initial excitement surrounding the creation of the commissions should not be allowed to degenerate into disappointment.

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.”

Extending the concerns to poor and multiple budget implementation, the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Oyewunmi Olalere (PDP, Osun West), urged the Appropriations Committee to step up efforts to ensure that revenue-generating agencies meet expectations for effective budget funding.

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 noted that with January 30 already gone, only two months remain to clear outstanding obligations from the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

“Today 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 added.

He warned that urgent steps must be taken to prevent the continuation of multiple budget implementations.

Also speaking, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadaunsi (APC, Osun East) echoed similar concerns, urging the committee to take the matter of poor budget funding to the appropriate authorities.

He said, “The 2024 budget debt has not been paid.”

Fadaunsi further said he shared the concerns earlier raised by his colleague from Osun State.

“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,” he said.

He stressed the need for the committee to engage critical stakeholders to tidy up the 2024 and 2025 budgets before April 1, 2026.

However, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) intervened to calm the growing lamentations, urging his colleagues to wait until full details of the ₦58.472 trillion 2026 budget are made available to them.

Following Oshiomhole’s intervention, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Adeola, called for an executive session, asking journalists to excuse themselves from the meeting.