TheCable

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, says some government agencies are spending “desperately needed funds on unnecessary trivialities.”

Speaking at an event of the house committee on finance in Abuja on Thursday, Gbajabiamila said the excesses of these agencies would no longer be tolerated.

The speaker said parliament remains the keeper of the public purse and it would ensure that the funds therein are judiciously utilised.

“We need to impose deep cuts in the cost of governance and improve internal revenue generation and collection so that we can free up resources that can then be deployed to fund policy initiatives that will enhance the lives of our people,” the fourth citizen said.

“The revenue-generating agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria have a vital role to play in this regard. There has thus far been a consistent failure to adhere to the revenue remittance agreements to which many of these agencies have committed.

“We have credible reports that these desperately needed funds have in many cases, been diverted to finance unnecessary trivialities.

“At the same time, the government is left scrambling for alternative sources to fund priority projects. We cannot afford this dynamic, and we will not tolerate it anymore.”