By Gloria Ikibah
Tempers flared at the National Assembly on Thursday as lawmakers took a hard line against two federal agencies during a tense 2026 budget defence session in Abuja.
The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Engineering halted consideration of the 2026 budget proposal of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), escalating the matter by moving to strip the agency of its allocation entirely from the national appropriation bill. 
The committee also resolved to recommend the removal of NACETEM’s Director-General, Dr Olushola Odusanya, over his failure to appear before the panel to defend the agency’s budget and submit the documents required for legislative scrutiny.
Lawmakers described the absence as unacceptable, stressing that public officials are accountable to the legislature.
The committee maintained that no appointee should consider themselves above parliamentary oversight, particularly in matters concerning public funds.
Members warned that the decision will send a clear signal to other heads of agencies about the consequences of disregarding invitations from the National Assembly.
The standoff effectively leaves NACETEM facing the prospect of zero allocation in 2026 unless the matter is revisited.
In a separate but equally probing session, the committee turned its attention to the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFOST), where concerns were raised over both its 2025 budget performance and its 2026 proposal.
Lawmakers were troubled by the council’s low internally generated revenue, reported at roughly N385,000 in 2024 and N285,860 in 2025. The figures stood in stark contrast to a sharp rise in overhead costs, which nearly doubled from N95.40 million in 2025 to N195.73 million in the 2026 proposal.
The council’s registrar explained that its revenue is drawn solely from registration fees and annual professional dues paid by its members, numbering about 10,000. Registration is set at N5,000, while annual dues stand at N2,000.
However, she was unable to account for the significant jump in overhead expenditure, noting that the increase was not part of the estimates initially submitted to the Budget Office.
The committee ruled that the discrepancies warranted further examination and indicated that NiCFOST would be summoned again for additional clarification before any final decision is taken.
With scrutiny tightening and patience wearing thin, agencies appearing before the National Assembly this budget season may be under pressure to come better prepared — or risk paying a steep price.
