The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC),has recommended the exclusion of 22 federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from the 2026 Appropriation Bill over their persistent audit breaches and failure to comply with legislative oversight.
Those agencies include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), and 17 others.
The Committee made the recommendation on Thursday during a public hearing convened to consider audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s Annual Reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Its chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said
the agencies repeatedly failed to honour invitations to appear before it and did not submit required financial documents to clarify issues raised in the audit reports.
Other agencies recommended for budget sanctions are the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development; Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development; Federal University of Gashua; Federal Polytechnic, Ede; Federal Polytechnic, Offa; Federal Medical Centre, Owerri; Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi; Federal Medical Centre, Bida; Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi; Federal Medical Centre, Katsina; Federal Government College, Kwali; Federal Government Boys’ College, Garki, Abuja; Federal Government College, Rubochi; Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Owerri; Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria; and the FCT Secondary Education Board.
The committee said the agencies’ actions amounted to violations of the Financial Regulations 2009 and a disregard for the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly.
According to the committee, several of the MDAs had failed to submit audited financial statements for periods ranging from three to five years and above, contrary to statutory requirements.
Rep. Salam emphasised that the National Assembly could not continue to appropriate public funds to agencies that refuse to account for previous allocations.
He added:“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions.
“Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation. The recommendation of this Committee is not punitive but corrective. It is intended to restore fiscal discipline and ensure transparency in the management of public resources.”
The Committee maintained that withholding budgetary allocations from defaulting agencies would serve as a necessary enforcement mechanism to compel compliance with audit requirements and strengthen institutional accountability across government establishments.