Incredible Twist: National Assembly Set To Increase 2025 Budget After MDAs Push For More

Incredible Twist: National Assembly Set To Increase 2025 Budget After MDAs Push For More

The National Assembly is preparing to adjust the proposed ₦47.94 trillion budget for 2025 after receiving numerous appeals from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) during recent budget defense sessions. Lawmakers have….Incredible Twist: National Assembly Set To Increase 2025 Budget After MDAs Push For More

expressed dissatisfaction with the allocations proposed by the Presidency, citing concerns over underfunding in key sectors.

Over the past few days, the Assembly has been abuzz as ministers and agency heads raised alarms about inadequate financial resources.

Starting on January 9, the Minister of Environment, Abbas Balarabe Lawal, emphasized the need for increased funding to help his ministry meet its goals. With an allocation of ₦64.25 billion, the Ministry has called for additional funds for its agencies, including the National Park Service, Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

Mahmud Kambari, the Permanent Secretary of the Environment Ministry, acknowledged that funding had always been a significant hurdle, while Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator-General of the National Park Service, requested ₦5.01 billion to address rising insecurity and illegal mining activities. Similarly, Zacharia Yaduma, Director-General of the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), urged for more funds as delays in financial disbursement continued to affect operations.

The Ministry of Defence has also raised concerns, with Dr. Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, requesting an additional ₦20 billion to compensate families of fallen soldiers. Matawalle stressed that the ministry was struggling to meet security demands with the current ₦50.44 billion allocation.

The House Committee on Defence supported this request, with Deputy House Spokesperson Hon. Philip Agbese commending the military’s efforts and backing the need for more funds.

Other MDAs also presented similar pleas for increased allocations. For example, the Nigerian Correctional Service’s Acting Comptroller-General, Sylvester Nwakuche, called for a rise in its capital budget from ₦13.4 billion to ₦70.4 billion, emphasizing the need for improved security technology and infrastructure. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected its ₦40 billion budget and proposed a ₦126 billion allocation to meet election preparations. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, highlighted the financial burden elections place on the commission.

The newly established Federal Ministry of Livestock Development described its ₦20.8 billion allocation as insufficient and has been urged by lawmakers to prepare a supplementary budget. Similarly, the Ministry of Information and National Orientation has called for an increase in its ₦8.7 billion budget, citing insufficient funds for effective public communication.

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs also decried the meager ₦286 million allocated for Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions, labeling it grossly inadequate. Chairman Hon. Wole Oke criticized the government’s envelope budgeting system, which he believes lacks a legal foundation and fails to meet the real needs of the missions.

Lawmakers Assert Their Power Over Budget

A senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations confirmed that the National Assembly has the constitutional authority to adjust the proposed budget. This signals an imminent upward review of the 2025 budget, with lawmakers asserting that the requests presented by various MDAs are both legitimate and essential.

Adjustments are expected to reflect the financial needs outlined during the budget defense sessions. Official statements from the House spokesperson and his deputy were awaited at the time of this report.

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