Budget defence: Senate warns MDAs against lateness, lauds security chiefs
The Senate on Wednesday cautioned heads of Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against habitual lateness to committee engagements, describing the practice as unacceptable during the ongoing budget defence
The Senate on Wednesday cautioned heads of Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against habitual lateness to committee engagements, describing the practice as unacceptable during the ongoing budget defence process.
The upper chamber, however, commended heads of national security and intelligence agencies for their punctuality at critical legislative interfaces.
The remarks were made during a budget defence session of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Olawatosin Ajayi and other top security officials.
Expressing displeasure over the recurring lateness of some agency heads, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) said the Senate would no longer tolerate the trend.
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He specifically accused some former senators and members of the National Assembly, now appointed into executive positions, of being among the worst offenders.
Kalu said, “We are happy that the various heads of national security and intelligence agencies arrived for the budget defence session before the 11:00am fixed for commencement of the interface. However, it is not so with many other heads of agencies, particularly those being led by former serving senators or National Assembly members.”
He added, “This is absolutely rubbish because this is a budget period that must be given the required seriousness by all stakeholders. The perpetual latecomers are always fond of lying that they came late for committees’ assignments because of presidential engagements at the Villa, which to us here are lies.”
Agreeing with Kalu’s remarks, Chairman of the committee, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), said the warning should serve as a wake-up call to all affected agency heads, urging them to treat legislative engagements with the seriousness they deserve.
