Chairman house committee on Science and Technology Hon Beni Lar has during the 2021 budget defense hearing  for the Federal Ministry of Science & Technology frowned at the grossly inadequate budgetary funding for this sector that has key importance to the  development of Nigeria. 

In a statement signed by Mr Dogo Nanzing Media Aide to  Hon Beni Lar ,( Member Representing Langtang North & South Federal Constituency. 

Hon Beni Lar said she had moved a motion aimed at changing the envelope budgeting system currently being practiced & the Executive have promised to look into it during the 8th Assembly but the desired change is yet to be seen.

She stressed that ” We need a people based budget not a budget that’s written by the Budget Office who don’t know the reality of what is going on in the agencies”

She further stated that “you cannot put a project in an agency, underfund it, then put another project & still underfund it without delivering the previous project. How long will it take to fully fund one project. This is one major reason you see a lot of government projects taking 15yrs still uncompleted. 

Research projects are usually underfunded and then rolled over for many years thereby stifling the process of research in Science Technology.

I totally agree with my colleagues that the government should fully fund key projects that are important to individual agencies & not what the budget office wants”. 

Hon Beni Lar further stated that ” we, as parliamentarians must take a resolution on the floor of the house to address this issue once & for all. 

The Agencies under Federal Ministry of Science and Technology have requisite human capacities but the envelope budgetary system has hindered them from undertaking needed research, productivity, commercialization of findings that would birth massive job creation, wealth generation and economic development.

Nigeria must adapt a more realistic budgetary system if the country must grow and develop as a progressive nation.

The house Committee on Science and Technology will relentlessly seek an increase in funding for Research and Development in Science and Technology.

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HON BENI LAR DECRIES UNDERFUNDING OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET, CALLS FOR SCRAPPING OF ENVELOPE BUDGETING SYSTEM