The Senate Committee on Livestock Development has raised concerns over discrepancies between the revenue-generating potential of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the revenues they report, calling for improved accountability and financial management.
Deputy Chairman of the committee, Senator Abdul Ningi, raised the concerns on Tuesday during an interactive session with agencies under the ministry at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Ningi said the committee was concerned that some agencies engaged in revenue-generating activities might not be adequately accounting for funds generated through their operations.
He identified tuition and other student-related fees, annual dues, professional registration and certification fees, grants, research activities, laboratory services, consultancy and technical services as potential revenue sources for the institutions.
According to him, effectively harnessing these revenue streams could strengthen the agencies’ financial capacity, improve service delivery and reduce their dependence on government funding.
He, however, expressed concern over the adequacy of existing revenue collection mechanisms, the completeness of financial reports and the proper documentation and accounting of internally generated revenue.
The senator said the planned oversight exercise would enable the committee to assess the financial position, revenue streams, operational realities and institutional challenges facing the agencies.
He added that the exercise would also determine whether the resources available to the institutions were commensurate with their statutory responsibilities and whether their revenue collection and management systems were efficient, transparent and effective.
Ningi stressed that the exercise was not intended to intimidate the agencies or create an atmosphere of suspicion, describing it as a fact-finding and institution-building initiative designed to identify gaps and address weaknesses.
He emphasised the importance of livestock development institutions to national food security, public health and economic growth, noting that their responsibilities required adequate funding, modern infrastructure, qualified personnel and efficient administrative systems.
“The committee recognises the critical role these agencies will play in advancing large-scale development. Their contributions to animal health, evidence-based policies, operational regulation, manpower development, animal protection and environmental services are essential to national food security, public health and economic growth,” he said.
Ningi added that these responsibilities could not be effectively discharged without adequate funding and sound financial management.
He explained that the oversight visits would provide an opportunity to examine the agencies’ revenue profiles, the volume of funds generated, collection procedures, the adequacy of financial records and compliance with applicable treasury and financial regulations.
The committee, he said, would also identify potential revenue leakages, weaknesses in internal controls and administrative bottlenecks that could undermine the effective management of public resources.
Ningi urged committee members and officials of the agencies to approach the exercise with a shared commitment to improving efficiency, strengthening accountability and reducing revenue leakages.
He assured the agencies that the committee was not a court of law but a partner operating within the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
The senator called for openness, cooperation and shared responsibility, expressing hope that the exercise would lead to the establishment of administrative mechanisms capable of improving institutional performance beyond the committee’s tenure.
The interactive session was organised to discuss the scope and modalities of the planned oversight visits and secure the cooperation of the agencies in strengthening accountability and financial management across the livestock development sector.
