Senate Emphasizes Punctuality in Budget Sessions

By Anayo Akwitti

The Senate on Wednesday issued a stern warning to heads of federal government agencies who habitually arrive late to committee sessions, emphasising that such behavior will no longer be tolerated.
The warning came during the budget defense session of the National Security and Intelligence Committee.

Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu (Abia North) expressed his displeasure at the persistent tardiness of some agency heads, singling out former lawmakers now serving in executive roles as the most frequent offenders.

“We are happy that the heads of National Security and Intelligence agencies arrived on time for today’s session,” he said. “However, it is not so with many other agency heads, particularly those who were former Senators or members of the National Assembly. This is absolutely unacceptable, especially during a critical budget period.”

Kalu dismissed excuses that late arrivals were due to presidential engagements as “rubbish,” stressing that punctuality is essential for the serious scrutiny of national security funds.

Supporting Kalu, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), Chairman of the committee, described the warning as a wake-up call for all affected agency heads.

He praised security and intelligence agencies for their punctuality, highlighting their commitment to accountability in managing national resources.

The Senate’s remarks underscore growing concern over discipline and governance culture in federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as the legislature’s determination to hold executive appointees accountable, particularly in areas affecting national security.