The Senate Committee on Federal Character, on Monday, walked out officials of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who came before the committee to represent the SGF, Mr Babachir David Lawal and the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, in the 2016 budget defence.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, who alongside his colleagues were angered by the absence of the SGF and the FRSC boss, insisting that their failure to appear was unacceptable.
The senators said the budget defence of the two establishments before the committee was all too important to be treated with levity.
The lawmakers threatened that they would not have a look at the budget until the SGF and FRSC boss appeared to defend the 2016 budget proposal before them.
Senator Kaura said: “I cannot understand why the SGF and the head of the FRSC failed to show up to defend their budgets. That is not acceptable, because the budget defence is something that should be taken seriously.
“Until they are prepared to appear to defend their budgets for this year, I am sorry to say this committee would not entertain representatives.”
Also, chairman of Federal Character Commission, Dr Shettima Bukar Abba and acting national coordinator of Servicom, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, while appearing separately to defend their commission’s budgets on Monday, lamented that the activities of their respective establishments were restricted due to low funding.
According to Abba, official of the federal character relied on the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government for funding in the course of carrying out monitoring exercises.
He added that the reliance of the commission’s officials on MDAs for financial support in the course of carrying out their duties exposed them to being compromised.
Responding, Senator Kaura assured that the committee would look into the complaints lodged by FCC and Servicom, with a view to addressing the issue of underfunding.