The Senate Committee on Labour has highlighted the necessity for a reorientation in the budget office, citing a misalignment with the priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Gatekeepers News reports that during the Ministry of Labour and Productivity and agencies N10 billion 2024 budget on Friday, the committee deemed the budget unacceptable and warned of its potential to stifle productivity among the agencies.
They asserted that the budget, as presented by the executive, is not sacrosanct and can be adjusted by the legislature.
The legislators also criticized the envelop system used by the budget office, stating it does not align with the current administration’s priorities.
In a related development, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) raised concerns about staff shortages and salaries.
Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director General, disclosed this during the presentation of the 2024 budget to a National Assembly joint committee on health.
She emphasised that the staff shortage poses a threat to public health and urges a zero-duty policy on pharmaceuticals.
Adeyeye also raised alarm of a critical shortage of medicines due to forex challenges if the Federal Government does not promptly intervene.
