‘It’s inefficiency’ — n’assembly panel tackles MDAs over ‘poor’ revenue remittances

A national assembly panel has tackled ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and government-owned enterprises over “poor” revenue remittances to the federal government in 2024.

Sani Musa, chairman of the senate committee on finance and James Faleke, his house of representatives counterpart, voiced their concerns at an interactive session with some MDAs on Monday.

The MDAs include the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).

Sani said the gap between revenues generated by the MDAs and what they remitted is “worrisome”.

“This trend undermines the government’s capacity to fund critical infrastructure and social services, calling to question issues of inefficiency, mismanagement and possible revenue leakages,” he said.

Sani said the committee would ensure that MDAs remit their obligations to the government to fund projects.

“Let us approach these tasks with a shared commitment to building a stronger and more accountable fiscal framework for Nigeria,” he said.

”I call on all of us to, please, be very open on all those areas that we know, even if they are not presented to us.”

‘IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS CGs IGNORE REPS’ INVITATION’

Meanwhile, the house of representatives committee on customs, excise, and interior has expressed displeasure at the “refusal” of heads of government agencies to respond to its invitation.

The committee had invited Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior; Bashir Adeniyi, comptroller-general of customs; and Kemi Nandap, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to an investigative hearing on the trade modernisation project (TMP).

However, none of the government officials attended the hearing on Monday.

Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a member of the committee from Rivers state, asked his colleagues to recommend the dismissal of the government officials if they continue to ignore the summon of the lawmakers.

“If they continue disrespecting the invitations without any obvious reason, we should contemplate recommending their replacement because they have shown gross negligence or they are tired of the assignment that Mr president has granted them,” he said.

Leke Abejide, chairman of the committee, ruled that the hearing would be reconvened after the passage of the 2025 budget.