From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has announced that the 2025 budget for State House agencies will be determined through a comprehensive needs assessment.
According to him, this decision follows his recent tour of key government agencies, including the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency and the Bureau of Public Procurement, where he emphasised the need for transparency and improved staff welfare.
Speaking to State House Correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja, following a one-day fact-finding tour of some government agencies under the supervision of the State House, Gbajabiamila stressed that in 2025, the budget will not be prepared in a vacuum but based on the actual needs of the agencies.
He said: “In any country in the world, resources are limited. For us it is about prioritizing. Where are we so far? What have the agencies done? How have they measured up to their mandates and how important are their mandates in terms of the vision of this administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda?
“A lot of agencies are not properly funded. Do we merge some of these agencies, do we scrap some? I’m not talking about the State House agencies.
“In 2025 we are not going to budget in a vacuum. We will budget based on needs assessment,” he said.
The Chief of Staff committed to improving the welfare and working conditions of staff within State House agencies. During separate meetings with agency heads and staff, he urged them to embrace innovation, excellence, and professionalism while supporting their Chief Executives.
He stressed that the government is dedicated to creating a conducive work environment, addressing concerns such as staff remuneration and inadequate office accommodations.
He highlighted the importance of these agencies in achieving the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reiterated the administration’s commitment to enhancing transparency and accountability within the procurement process.
Accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadeija, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Olufunso Adebiyi, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff), Oyinade Nathan-Marsh, Gbajabiamila also emphasized the importance of transparency in the procurement process, which is critical to upholding the administration’s commitment to good governance and accountability.
The Chief of Staff visited the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency (NALDA), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
During the tour, Gbajabiamila underscored the importance of these agencies in driving the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the economic and development sectors, and reiterated the administration’s resolve to strengthen these institutions.
He noted that the visit, the first of its kind under this administration, was a follow-up to the recent one-day retreat for the Heads of State House Agencies.
The retreat was convened to reinforce the administration’s commitment to strengthening institutions, ensuring they are well-equipped to fulfill their mandates and reducing the cost of governance.
Assuring the agencies that their concerns on staff renumeration, inadequate office accommodation and other legitimate challenges would be addressed, Gbajabiamila said measures would be put in place to create a more conducive work environment.
“This government is particular about diversifying our economy and the role the agriculture sector has to play is very important,” he said during an interactive session with the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Cornelius Adebayo.
“This government is focusing very seriously on agriculture and food security and we trust that NALDA will continue to be innovative in its operations, including developing greenhouses and supporting the cultivation of more arable land across the country”, he added.
At BPP, the Chief of Staff while responding to a presentation by the acting Director-General, Olusegun Omotola, commended the agency for saving the Federal government some N1.7 trillion from 2009-2022 by blocking loopholes that would have been exploited during procurement.
“The Act establishing the Bureau is going through a review process that will make it meet international best practices, reduce corruption, red tape and bureaucracy.
“We will also look at the staff renumeration and why there has not been a review over the years, especially when compared with sister agencies like Debt Management Office whose renumeration and salary structure has been reviewed a couple of times over the years”, the Chief of Staff said in response to a request by BPP’s acting DG.
On the National Council on Procurement (NCP), which is an establishment of the law but has never been inaugurated since the creation of the Bureau, the Chief of Staff hinted that President Tinubu intends to inaugurate the Council, conscious of the need for the proposed amendments to the BPP Act.
Addressing the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Gbajabiamila commended the agency for remitting over N1trillion proceeds to the Federal government since 1999 and emphasized the need for improvement.
“We are ready to work with you to make you achieve your mandate optimally”, he assured.
BPE’s Director-General, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, disclosed that the agency had received N93.4bn from privatization projects in the first and second quarter of 2024, though this fell short of the revised expected revenue of N259.7 billion.
At Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Commission (NAEC), Gbajabiamila reaffirmed government’s commitment to developing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation in the country.
Responding to a presentation by the Chairman of NAEC, Yusuf Ahmed, the Chief of Staff, said government recognizes the importance of incorporating nuclear technology into Nigeria’s energy mix to meet the nation’s growing energy needs.
At National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Gbajabiamila commended the agency for championing local content development, particularly in the areas of electric vehicles, motorbikes and solar-powered smart irrigation systems, through accelerated technology transfer.
Gbajabiamila expressed President Bola Tinubu’s confidence in Nigeria’s human resources and their ability to lead technological advancement. He was impressed by NASENI’s achievements, noting that having 35 market-ready products and completing 44 tangible projects and initiatives in just 10 months speaks volumes about the agency’s commitment, dedication and passion.
He emphasised that Nigeria must not be left behind in the world of modern technology and that agencies like NASENI are crucial in propagating the President’s vision on technological advancement. He also acknowledged the need to provide adequate support to ease transportation costs for employees due to NASENI’s location at the Idu industrial layout, approximately 30 kilometers from the city center.
“I commend you and the rest of the team on what you are doing. We live in a world of modern-day technology and Nigeria must not be left behind and we need agencies like NASENI to propagate the President’s vision on advancement in technology,”he told the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Khalil Halilu.
On staff welfare, Gbajabiamila noted that creating an enabling work environment is very important to boosting staff morale and productivity.
He added that due to NASENI’s location at the Idu industrial layout, Abuja, approximately 30 kilometers from the city center, the management should provide adequate support to ease transportation costs for employees.
In his remarks, Halilu thanked President Tinubu for his unflinching support to the agency.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to conducting research and development, as well as the production and commercialization of products that contributes directly to Nigeria’s GDP and improve the lives of the people.