HhouseBy Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has reiterated that performance must justify any requests for additional funding by agencies in the 2025 budget.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda, made this clear during the budget defence session of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), presented by its Executive Secretary, Professor Idris Bugaje.

Laguda acknowledged the funding challenges faced by polytechnics but emphasised the importance of demonstrating effective utilization of allocated resources before seeking more.

“Performance is very key. It is a known fact that polytechnics are poorly funded, but we need to justify why more resources are needed. To be honest, not all institutions have demonstrated this. The role of this committee is to ensure accountability and drive improvements”, he said.

He highlighted the importance of the NBTE’s role in technical education and urged the agency to foster better synergies among polytechnics and stakeholders. He also charged rectors to be proactive in introducing modern and relevant courses tailored to their environments.

Professor Idris Bugaje, while presenting the NBTE’s 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal, called for increased budgetary allocation to address manpower shortages. He noted that the agency, responsible for supervising over 700 institutions, currently operates with only 330 staff, which he described as grossly inadequate.

“For personnel, we need improvement. Similar agencies with fewer institutions and more funds have more staff. We need more hands to adequately supervise these institutions,” Bugaje stated.

On internally generated revenue (IGR), Bugaje explained that earnings primarily come from service charges during accreditation visits. He revealed that the agency’s IGR for the year amounted to just N25 million, describing it as “dismally low.”

He further noted that the agency’s capital performance for 2024 stood at 50%, with the remaining half of the budget yet to be released.

“We need to introduce more contemporary programs and improve funding mechanisms to better meet the demands of technical education,” Bugaje added.

The session underscored the lawmakers’ commitment to ensuring transparency and efficiency in funding allocations while challenging agencies to enhance their performance to secure additional resources.

The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has condemned the alleged brutal killing of a 50-year-old Nigerian citizen, Jeremiah Okoye, by the country’s police, while in their custody.

Okoye, a native of Eziniffite Nnewi, in Anambra was said to have died while being detained in Limpopo Province, on Jan. 13.

NICASA President-General, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deceased’s death.

“We implore the police authorities to follow the rule of law in discharging their constitutional duties,” he said.

Onyekwelu said that Okoye, who resided at No. 71, Magazyn Street, Polokwane, Limpopo Province, had lived in the country for 22 years.

He said NICASA had officially informed the Nigerian High Commission and Consulate in South Africa, as well as contacted the Okoye family and friends in Limpopo, following the sad incident.

“Nigerian citizens in South Africa say no to police brutality and killings and demand justice for the late Okoye.

“Our lives matter, nationality is not criminality.

“We implore all our citizens to be law-abiding and allow the authorities to utilise all their resources, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Okoye,” he said.

Onyekwelu expressed hope that Okoye’s death would not become another statistic like others before him.

“The death of Nigerians in South Africa, particularly under police custody has become a recurring issue that needs to be stopped.

“We fear that these recurring deaths of Nigerians in police custody, if unchecked, will become a dangerous pattern. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” he added.