By Fatima Saka
The Senate Committee on Special Duties has rejected the 2026 budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, citing the omission of funding for National Honours and describing the overall allocation as grossly inadequate for a ministry with nationwide responsibilities.
The decision followed a tense budget defence session chaired by Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (Borno Central), during which lawmakers expressed outrage over the exclusion of funds for the production and conferment of National Honours, despite presidential approval for a new batch of awardees.
Minister Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo had barely concluded his presentation when senators began questioning what they described as a glaring disconnect between the ministry’s statutory mandate and the funds allocated to it.
Senator Abdul Ningi criticised what he called the systematic weakening of the ministry through poor budgetary releases. He noted that in 2025, the ministry was appropriated ₦5.2 billion but received only ₦1.8 billion in releases.
“Is this ministry only meant to pay salaries? Don’t they have a job to do? Why should a ministry as important as Special Duties be sidelined?” Ningi asked, adding that bureaucracy was being used as a “camouflage” to undermine its effectiveness.
He drew attention to the disparity in funding by remarking that some local government councils control larger annual budgets than the federal ministry.
Committee Chairman, Senator Lawan, questioned whether the Federal Executive Council truly regarded the ministry as a strategic national institution or merely an appendage, pointing to the low releases and limited capital execution.
The sharpest criticism centred on the failure to provide for National Honours in the 2026 proposal. Senator Onawo described it as unacceptable that deserving Nigerians could not be decorated due to lack of funds to produce medals, stressing that the conferment of honours is a core statutory responsibility of the ministry.
The minister acknowledged the funding shortfall, explaining that the ministry lacked the resources to produce the medals and had sought legislative intervention. Lawmakers were further alarmed when it emerged that out of ₦240 million released for capital expenditure in 2025, the ministry recorded zero execution.
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The committee ruled that the omission of the presidential list of awardees and its funding component rendered the 2026 proposal incomplete and unacceptable.
Senator Lawan directed the minister to return to the Budget Office of the Federation to ensure that the National Honours allocation is properly captured in a revised submission. He warned that failure to comply by Monday would compel the Senate to summon officials of the Budget Office under its constitutional oversight powers.
Until the revised proposal is submitted, the committee said it would not consider the ministry’s 2026 estimates.
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