The House of Representatives has called for alternative funding platforms for Centres for Advanced Academic Research to meet up with their counterparts in other climes where such institutions are not subject to annual budgetary allocation.
The House Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation made the call during an oversight visit to Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO) in Abuja which is a National Coordination Centre for all advanced and specialized research in Physics, Chemistry, Microbiology and Atomic Energy Research.
Beni Lar (PDP, Plateau), chairman of the Committee, in her remarks asked SHESTCO to work towards that because relying on the meager resources in the nation’s envelope budgetary system will seriously hamper its research contributions to science and technology growth of Nigeria.
Lar said the Committee believed that the goal is achievable and there is no better time for this transition than now, adding that SHESTCO holds the key to scientific discoveries that should transform this nation from third world to industrialized nation.
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She said: “Oversight is not a legislative fault finding mission but a legislative-executive partnership for good governance. This visit offers a unique opportunity for an honest interaction that will address the teething challenge(s) hampering your operational existence since 2001 to the nation and proffering solutions on the way forward.
“Since, this Agency is an offshoot of the Academia; we hope that SHESTCO’s will leave up to the expectation for its establishment. In view of the foregoing, the House Committee will henceforth track and fact check every sub-head in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
“This oversight effort is not a-one-off event but the first in the series of engagements as this Committee will henceforth painstakingly ensure SHESTCO’s compliance with the necessary provisions of the Constitution such as Section 14(3), Procurement Act and other extant laws”.
The committee chairman requested from the agency, budget compliance and implementation report comprising; total appropriation and release (capital and recurrent) from January to date; details on the implementation of both capital and recurrent budgets stating clearly the Procurement Procedures followed, amongst others.
In their interventions, members of the committee, particularly, Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers) demanded explanations on the research results of the centre, repetition of projects despite adequate releases of funds in previous budget, location of zonal offices, collaboration with similar organisations, amongst others.
Responding, Paul Onyemulukwe, SHESTCO director general told lawmakers that
the total appropriation for 2020 was N1.45 billion, N1.440 billion was released and N1.438 billion was expended.
“The total capital appropriated was N162.592 million. However, the release was 100%. The capital under constituency projects, we had N568 million and the total of N568 million was released. However, they were able to utilize N567.996 million which is almost 100% .
“Then the overhead we had N90.320 appropriated. However, the total of N80. 228 million was released and utilized. Then the Personnel, we had a total of N629. 270. However, everything was released, but what was utilized was N627. 209 million which is almost 100percent”, he stated.
Onyemulukwe also said in the 2021, the total appropriation for capital expenditure was N612. 779 million, N284.702 million has been released and utilised while the constituency project was allocated N1.889 billion, out of which N1.28 billion has been released as at September.
“The total overhead is N132 million and so far what has been released is N91.983 million and out of this we have either utilized and committed N91.983 million, which is just about 69.68percent. Total Personnel is N830 million and so far what has been released is N479.711 million.
“One thing I have to say about Personnel is that we are not involved in the administration of the Personnel budget because it is through IPPS and they pay us salary, so we don’t have access. Our duty is just to ensure that only those who are staff are paid and that’s all. So, every payment on that is directly performed by IPPS”, the Processor explained.
