The Federal Fire Service was questioned by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Interior on Friday on disparities found in the agency’s proposed budget for 2025.
Due to the inconsistencies, the committee resigned its defense of the service’s budget.
In order to defend the 2024 budget performance and 2025 plan, FFS Controller General Jaji Idris came before a sitting committee on interior, which was co-chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the Senate’s chairman, and his counterpart from the House of Representatives, Abdullahi Ahmed.
The committee identified a number of violations, including the fact that ten trucks, which were manufactured by the same business and had the same specs, were purchased at N1.5 billion in one case and N2.5 billion in another.
The head of FFS clarified that the cost variance resulted from variations in tanker sizes, but lawmakers criticized the budget documents for leaving out such important information.
“This is what some may call over-padding or over-invoicing. It is a very serious matter. What you wrote contradicts what you are saying, and we hold you to your written statements,” said an obviously irate Oshiomhole.
Additionally, active projects with ambiguous contract commitments and missing specifications were noted by the committee.
Although N603 billion was estimated to be an outstanding payment for ongoing contracts in the FFS budget proposal for 2025, MPs questioned the contracts’ lack of specifics.
“We need to appreciate the difference between contract commitments and proposals. Without proper documentation, this committee cannot approve your budget,” Oshiomhole emphasized.
He emphasized the significance of accountability and budgetary responsibility, stating, “When you come before this committee, be ready. We will be critical, not to cause you trouble, but to ensure Nigerians get value for money.
“Government should be less wasteful. Every N10 lost by MDAs, when multiplied across all agencies, becomes an alarming figure. As our President keeps reminding us, he is trying to draw a bucket of water from a dry well. It is our duty to ensure that the little drawn is properly distributed so that every Nigerian gets a sip, especially the poor,” he said.
The Committee also questioned the organization about its inadequate documentation and proof of revenue.
The committee rejected the handwritten receipts that the FFS Controller-General presented as insufficient evidence of revenue remittance.
To verify the transactions, the MPs asked the Accountant-General’s Office for bank statements and supporting documentation.
The committee chose to withdraw the FFS budget defense in response to the multiple inconsistencies, requesting a later submission that was correct and amended.
“Work on your documents and submit a proper presentation to this committee. Otherwise, there will be zero allocation for the agency, “Oshiomhole warned.
According to him, the meeting demonstrated the parliamentarians’ dedication to budgetary openness and efficient use of public monies.
According to the former governor of Edo State, the agency must now address its fiscal irregularities in order to obtain funds until 2025.