By NEFISHETU YAKUBU

The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday berated the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Shamsedeen Ogunjimi, over failure to release 2025 budget funds to ministries, departments and agencies.

The committee raised the concerns during the ongoing budget defence sessions at the National Assembly in Abuja.

Chairman of the committee, Sen. Sani Musa, in his opening remarks, expressed displeasure at the attitude of the accountant-general’s office toward the committee, adding that it was unfriendly and that it must change for the good of all.

Musa warned that the non-release of appropriated funds was crippling operations and service delivery across MDAs.

He lamented that nearly all the MDAs appearing before committees reported similar financial constraints, describing the situation as alarming and harmful.

The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that the committee consequently postponed consideration of the budget proposal of the accountant-general’s office, resolving to hold a closed-door session to examine the persistent delays in funds disbursement.

Responding, the accountant-general told the lawmakers that the current challenges were inherited from previous administrations, stressing that his office disbursed funds only after receiving proper authorisation orders.

Ogunjimi cited poor tax remittances by some MDAs, contract awards without securing funding provisions and inadequate national revenue inflow as some of the factors constraining timely release of funds.

While maintaining that the financial system remained functional despite liquidity pressures, he advocated for stronger tax compliance, improved revenue generation and coordinated fiscal reforms to ensure smoother implementation.

The accountant-general said that indiscriminate contract awards by many MDAs without available funds had created the current financial challenges, prompting directives banning contracts without secured funding.

He explained to lawmakers that the challenges arising from operation of the centralised payment system were unforeseen, but assured that corrective measures were ongoing.

“Yes, as the accountant-general, my office disburses funds only when resources are available, because I must first receive funds before making any payment.

“The ways and means previously used for emergency government funding have been discontinued in national interest,” he said. (NAN)