The Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, Austin Akobundu, has condemned the poor performance of the 2025 budget, describing the situation as “disheartening” during a Senate hearing on budget defence.
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Akobundu spoke at the appearance of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Babatunde Ogunjimi, before the Senate, where lawmakers reviewed budget implementation by government finance managers. He expressed concern that several ministries, departments and agencies, including the military and other security agencies, had recorded zero releases from their 2025 budgetary allocations.
According to the senator, the lack of funding undermines the Federal Government’s fight against insecurity and exposes personnel combating terrorism and related crimes to grave danger. He questioned how the President’s declaration of a state of emergency on security could be effective when allocations meant for the armed forces had not been released.
“I come from a security background and also served as a minister in the Ministry of Defence. I have never seen a situation as terrible as what we face today,” Akobundu said. “Most security agencies that appeared before us reported no releases at all. Yet, we are told there is a state of emergency on security. That means funding should be treated as a first-line priority.”
He further decried reports that the Federal Government owes contractors over ₦2 trillion, despite revenues estimated at ₦28 trillion and savings from the removal of fuel subsidy.
Echoing similar concerns, Abdul Ningi criticised the Accountant-General for presiding over what he described as widespread budget failure. “I have not seen any agency that reported up to 10 or 20 per cent performance. Some recorded zero, zero, zero,” Ningi said.
Responding, Ogunjimi apologised to the senators and appealed for reconsideration of the committee’s stance on his office’s budget. He attributed the poor performance to challenges with the government payment platform, noting that efforts were underway to expand and improve its capacity.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sani Musa, warned that the committee could recommend zero allocation to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation if satisfactory explanations were not provided for the neglect of critical government functions in the 2025 budget.
Other senators, including Aminu Abbas and Muntari Dandutse, also expressed dissatisfaction with the budget’s implementation during the hearing.
(Video credit: AIT)
