The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Engineering has moved to recommend a total “zero allocation” for the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) in the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The Committee has also formally called for the immediate removal of the agency’s Director-General, Dr. Olushola Odusanya.
The decision was reached during a scheduled budget defense session on Thursday, following Dr. Odusanya’s failure to appear before the Committee or submit essential documents required for legislative scrutiny.
The panel has resolved to expunge NACETEM’s proposed 2026 funding from the national budget.
The Committee recommended the sack of the Director-General for “gross disrespect” to the legislature and constitutional processes.
The Chairman emphasized that no government appointee is above the law or the oversight of the National Assembly.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Inuwa Garba (PDP, Gombe), characterized the Director-General’s absence as an unacceptable breach of responsibility and a threat to democratic governance.
“If President Bola Tinubu can personally appear before the National Assembly to present the national budget, no appointee should consider himself too big to appear before a committee of the legislature,” Rep. Garba stated. He further warned that this decisive action would serve as a deterrent to other public officials who might attempt to undermine the oversight functions of the House.
The Committee expressed frustration that the agency failed to honor invitations and neglected to provide the necessary documentation to justify its 2026 financial proposals.
In a related development during the same session, the Committee also queried the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFOST) over sharp increases in overhead costs and poor Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) performance, signaling a broader crackdown on administrative transparency within agencies under its jurisdiction.
The recommendation for zero allocation will now be forwarded to the House Committee on Appropriations for final consideration in the 2026 budget cycle.
