Funds reportedly approved by President Bola Tinubu for agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation have remained unreleased for more than a week, raising concerns over the impact on ongoing projects and operations.
Naijaonpoint reports that the affected agencies include the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Although the total amount involved could not be independently established, the funds were said to have received presidential approval about three weeks ago.
Sources familiar with the development, who spoke with Premium Times, alleged that the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Binyerem Ukaire, had yet to approve the relevant payment files.
According to them, the delay followed a disagreement over a request that heads of the affected agencies make detailed presentations on their activities, ongoing projects and plans for utilising the funds.
The sources, who requested anonymity, argued that such a requirement was inconsistent with the established relationship between supervising ministries and federal parastatals.
Several heads of the affected agencies also reportedly confirmed the delay, although they declined to be identified.
One of the officials said the inability to access the funds had disrupted projects and other operational activities.
Another agency head said the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had intervened in the matter but that the dispute remained unresolved.
The official said, “We cannot engage her. She can ask us for updates on our activities. But she cannot mandate that we come and give presentations to her, as she is demanding.
“We are not sure what she really wants. We cannot indulge her by going to see her because we’re not answerable to her.
“She’s frustrating the sector because ongoing projects cannot continue, and even the intervention of the minister has not helped the matter.”
The official argued that heads of parastatals were primarily accountable to their governing boards and supervising ministers rather than permanent secretaries.
The claims by the unnamed officials have not been independently verified.
A Federal Government circular outlining the relationship between ministries and parastatals provides that government agencies established by law should enjoy a measure of autonomy and operational flexibility.
The circular, issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on August 2, 1999, also cautions supervising ministries against taking over the day-to-day management of parastatals.
On financial matters, it directs ministries not to interfere unnecessarily with the finances of agencies under their supervision.
It further bars ministries from diverting agencies’ subventions for unrelated expenses or compelling parastatals to finance ministry expenditures, including vehicle fleets, guest houses and allowances.
There was no indication that the circular had been repealed.
Contacted over the development, Ukaire confirmed that the funds had not been released but said the process was ongoing.
“The file is undergoing processing,” she said.
She did not provide further details on when the funds would be released or respond to the specific allegations surrounding the requested presentations.
Delayed Releases Threaten Projects
The development adds to concerns over delays in cash backing for approved federal budgets.
Several ministries, departments and agencies have in recent years complained that approved appropriations are sometimes not matched by timely releases, resulting in delays to capital projects, procurement exercises and contract payments.
Lawmakers have also raised similar concerns during oversight engagements, linking poor budget implementation in some MDAs to delayed funding.
