The National Assembly Joint Committee on Interior, on Friday, raised concerns about discrepancies in the 2025 budget proposal of the Federal Fire Service.
This led the committee to halt the agency’s budget defence session.
The decision was made during a presentation by FFS Controller General, Jaji Idris, who appeared before the joint committee, chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole of the Senate Committee on Interior and Abdullahi Ahmed, his counterpart from the House of Representatives.
The purpose of the meeting was to review the FFS’s 2024 budget performance and its proposal for 2025.
One of the key issues flagged by the committee was the inconsistency in the procurement costs of 10 trucks.
According to the submitted documents, identical trucks from the same manufacturer were listed at N1.5 billion in one instance and N2.5 billion in another.
When asked to explain, the FFS Controller-General attributed the cost variation to differences in tanker sizes.
However, lawmakers criticised the failure to include such critical details in the budget documentation.
Senator Oshiomhole, visibly displeased, stated, “This is what some may call over-padding or over-invoicing. It is a very serious matter. What you wrote contradicts what you are saying, and we hold you to your written statements.”
The committee also pointed out other irregularities, including ongoing projects with unspecified details and ambiguous contract commitments.
The 2025 budget proposal listed an outstanding payment of N603 billion for ongoing contracts, yet the necessary breakdowns and specifications were missing, prompting further scrutiny.
Highlighting the need for accountability, Oshiomhole remarked, “We need to appreciate the difference between contract commitments and proposals. Without proper documentation, this committee cannot approve your budget.”
He emphasised fiscal discipline and the need to maximise the nation’s limited resources, stating, “When you come before this committee, be ready. We will be critical, not to cause you trouble, but to ensure Nigerians get value for money. Government should be less wasteful. Every N10 lost by MDAs, when multiplied across all agencies, becomes an alarming figure. As our President keeps reminding us, he is trying to draw a bucket of water from a dry well. It is our duty to ensure that the little drawn is properly distributed so that every Nigerian gets a sip, especially the poor.”
Further scrutiny of the agency’s records revealed inadequate information regarding revenue generation and remittance.
The FFS Controller-General presented manual receipts, which the committee deemed insufficient.
They demanded more robust evidence, including bank statements and validation from the Accountant-General’s Office, to substantiate the transactions.
In response to the numerous inconsistencies, the committee suspended the FFS budget defence and instructed the agency to submit revised documents.
Oshiomhole issued a stern warning, stating, “Work on your documents and submit a proper presentation to this committee. Otherwise, there will be zero allocation for the agency.”
He stressed the lawmakers’ dedication to ensuring fiscal transparency and judicious use of public funds. The session, he noted, placed the onus on the Federal Fire Service to correct its budgetary errors in order to secure funding for the upcoming year.
