Abuja: The Senate Committee on Sports Development, chaired by Sen. Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central, expressed displeasure on Wednesday over the National Sports Commission’s failure to honor its invitation. At a committee meeting, Ningi highlighted that invitation letters were separately addressed to both the Chairman of the Commission and the Director-General to eliminate any ambiguity regarding who was expected to appear before the committee.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the senator rejected the explanations provided by the commission, labeling them as unacceptable. Ningi emphasized that the committee would not tolerate any attempts to hinder its constitutional oversight duties. He noted that the continued absence of key officials had obstructed the committee’s legislative functions, thereby undermining accountability. Ningi stated, “It’s becoming a practice that requires the senate’s disciplinary action against these agents of government.”
The News Agency of Nigeria further reported that the committee members unanimously supported the chairman’s stance. They insisted that the commission’s leadership must appear before the committee to address issues concerning its finances and operations. The committee instructed the commission to submit evidence of the approved budgets for the years 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Additionally, they requested details of budget releases for the same period, along with records of funds allocated to all sporting federations, including football, basketball, volleyball, boxing, judo, and hockey, among others.
Furthermore, the lawmakers directed the commission to present evidence of the Federal Government’s statutory subvention to the various federations. Ningi also instructed the clerk of the committee to write to the Accountant-General of the Federation, requesting comprehensive records of all financial releases made to the commission from 2023 to the present for verification purposes. He concluded by announcing that a new date for the commission officials to appear before the committee would be communicated to them.