The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Engineering has stepped down the consideration of the 2026 budget proposal of the National Centre for Technology Management, escalating tensions between lawmakers and the agency.
The committee also resolved to delete the agency’s allocation from the 2026 Appropriation Bill and recommended the removal of its Director-General, Dr Olushola Odusanya, over his failure to appear before the panel to defend the budget and submit required documents.
The decision was taken during a budget defence session in Abuja presided over by the committee chairman, Inuwa Garba.
Lawmakers expressed displeasure over what they described as disregard for legislative oversight, arguing that agency heads should not ignore invitations from the National Assembly during budget defence processes.
Garba said such conduct undermines democratic accountability and warned that the committee would not tolerate disrespect for the legislature or the constitution.
The committee said its action should serve as a warning to other agencies that fail to comply with budget defence requirements.
The development reflects ongoing tensions between lawmakers and government agencies, particularly during annual budget reviews, where issues of non-appearance and poor documentation have repeatedly delayed approvals.
In a related review, the committee also raised concerns over the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology’s low internally generated revenue and a sharp increase in overhead costs in its 2026 proposal.
The registrar of the council attributed revenue figures to membership fees but admitted uncertainty over the rise in overhead projections, saying it was not part of the original submission.
The committee said further engagement would be held before a final decision is made on both agencies’ budget proposals.
