Reps Steps Down NACETEM’s 2026 Budget

By Oluwakemi Kindness 

The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Engineering on Thursday stepped down the 2026 budget proposal of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM).

The committee also resolved to delete the agency’s budget from the national appropriation bill and recommend the removal of its Director-General, Dr. Olushola Odusanya, for failing to appear before lawmakers to defend the proposal and for not submitting required documents.

The decision was taken during the committee’s 2026 budget defence session held on Thursday in Abuja.

Chairman of the committee, Inuwa Garba (PDP, Gombe), said if President Bola Tinubu could personally present the national budget to the National Assembly, no appointee should consider themselves too important to honour a legislative invitation.

He warned that the panel would not tolerate any act deemed disrespectful to the Constitution or the Legislature.

Garba added that the committee’s action should serve as a deterrent to other government officials who may attempt similar conduct.

Lawmakers Query NiCFOST Over Low IGR, Rising Overheads

In a related development, the committee expressed concern over the 2025 budget performance and 2026 proposal of the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFOST).

Lawmakers faulted the council’s low Internally Generated Revenue, which stood at about N385,000 in 2024 and N285,860 in 2025, despite having roughly 10,000 professionals eligible for registration and dues.

They also queried the sharp rise in the agency’s overhead costs from N95.40 million in 2025 to N195.73 million in the 2026 budget proposal.

Responding, NiCFOST Registrar, Veronica Nkechi-Eze, said the council generates revenue from registration fees and annual dues—N5,000 and N2,000 respectively—but could not explain the increase in overhead costs, noting it was not part of the agency’s original submission to the Budget Office.

Committee chairman Garba said the matter requires further scrutiny and that the panel will engage the agency before taking a final decision.