Abuja: The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday lashed out at Accountant-General Shamsedeen Ogunjimi for failing to disburse 2025 budget allocations to ministries, departments, and agencies, warning that the delay is crippling government operations.
The committee raised the concerns during the ongoing budget defence sessions at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Chairman of the committee, Sen. Sani Musa, in his opening remarks, expressed concern about the nature of interactions between the accountant-general’s office and the committee, noting it should improve for effectiveness.
Musa warned that the failure to release appropriated funds was crippling operations and service delivery across MDAs.
He noted that nearly all the MDAs appearing before committees had reported similar financial constraints, which he described as concerning.
The committee consequently postponed consideration of the accountant-general’s office budget proposal, resolving to hold a closed-door session to examine the persistent delays in funds disbursement.
Responding, the accountant-general told the lawmakers that the current challenges were inherited from previous administrations, stressing that his office disbursed funds only after receiving proper authorisation orders.
Ogunjimi cited poor tax remittances by some MDAs, contract awards without securing funding provisions, and inadequate national revenue inflows as factors constraining the timely release of funds.
While maintaining that the financial system remained functional despite liquidity pressures, he advocated for stronger tax compliance, improved revenue generation and coordinated fiscal reforms to ensure smoother implementation.
The accountant-general said that indiscriminate contract awards by many MDAs without available funds had created the current financial challenges, prompting directives banning contracts without secured funding.
He explained to lawmakers that the challenges arising from the operation of the centralised payment system were unforeseen, but assured that corrective measures were ongoing.
“Yes, as the accountant-general, my office disburses funds only when resources are available, because I must first receive funds before making any payment.
“The ways and means previously used for emergency government funding have been discontinued in the national interest,” he said.
