Senate Commends OSGF, FRSC, NIPSS, Others On 2024 Budget Performance, Assures Adequate Support

The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs has commended the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), represented by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Maurice Mbaeri; and the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Professor Ayo Omotayo, for their impressive performance in implementing the 2024 budget allocation.

The commendation was given on Thursday during the defense of their 2025 budget proposals at the National Assembly.

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, informed the committee that the agency’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) exceeded its target for the 2024 budget. This achievement earned praise from the committee, with its chairman, Senator Allwell Onyesoh (Rivers East, PDP), applauding the agency’s detailed and transparent reporting.

“This is one of the best budget performances presented so far,” Onyesoh remarked. “When we complain about agencies that are not doing well, we must also appreciate those that are excelling. The FRSC has been very detailed in its presentation.”

Mohammed emphasized the importance of public enlightenment and education in reducing road accidents. “We aim to ensure that drivers and commuters are fully aware of their rights and responsibilities. Obeying traffic regulations is crucial. We are losing far too many lives to road crashes, and this can be avoided if traffic rules are adhered to. Let’s learn from countries with fewer crashes and fatalities,” he stated.

Senator Sampson Ekong (Akwa Ibom South, PDP) also commended the SGF and emphasized the need for budgets to be based on proper needs assessments rather than the envelope system, which he argued hampers budget execution. He proposed that the SGF be excluded from the envelope budgeting approach.

While responding to NIPSS, Senator Onyesoh applauded its Director-General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, for achieving exceptional results with limited resources. “I’m proud of you and the standard you have set at NIPSS. It’s a model institution in Nigeria, with a high standard that is unmatched elsewhere. I encourage NIPSS to foster more interaction with the National Assembly,” he said.

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC presented a proposed 2025 budget totaling ₦113,318,651,623, comprising personnel costs of ₦84,446,829,745 and overhead costs of ₦25,341,053,985.

The Permanent Secretary of the SGF, Dr. Maurice Mbaeri, presented a proposed budget of ₦23,412,467,977, with personnel costs of ₦7,607,769,362 and overhead costs of ₦8,716,435,372. Similarly, the Director-General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, proposed a total of ₦3,726,113,626, comprising personnel costs of ₦1,525,724,956 and overhead costs of ₦1,600,523,809.

Additionally, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Dr. Muheeba Farida Dankaka, appeared before the committee on Friday to defend the agency’s 2025 budget proposal.

Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of SERVICOM, also reported on the agency’s 2024 budget performance and presented its 2025 budget proposal. She appealed to the Senate for support to strengthen SERVICOM’s initiatives and enhance its operational efficiency.

The committee expressed its readiness to provide adequate support for the agencies’ proposals, emphasizing the importance of efficient resource allocation and execution to achieve national development objectives.