The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila has announced that the 2025 budget for State House and Agencies will be meticulously crafted based on a needs assessment. This approach, according to Gbajabiamila is intended to guarantee that funds are directed where they are genuinely required, aligning with the administration’s vision of maximizing the impact of every naira spent.
Gbajabiamila made these known during a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, following an intensive one-day fact-finding mission to various government agencies under the State House’s purview. The visit, which took him to key institutions such as the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency (NALDA) and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), was part of a broader effort to evaluate the performance and funding needs of these agencies.
“In any country in the world, resources are limited. For us it is about prioritising. Where are we so far? What have the agencies done?
“How have they measured up to their mandates and how important are their mandates in terms of the vision of this administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda?
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“A lot of agencies are not properly funded. Do we merge some of these agencies, do we scrap some? I’m not talking about the State House agencies.
“In 2025 we are not going to budget in a vacuum. We will budget based on needs assessment,” he said.
He also addressed concerns about the potential restructuring of underfunded agencies, hinting at possible mergers or dissolutions, though clarifying that such changes do not apply to State House agencies specifically.
During separate meetings with agency heads and staff, Gbajabiamila assured them of the Presidency’s commitment to improving their working conditions and welfare. He urged staff to embrace innovation and uphold the highest standards of professionalism, stressing the need for transparency, especially in procurement processes, as vital to maintaining good governance.
Gbajabiamila was joined on his tour by Sen. Ibrahim Hadeija, Deputy Chief of Staff; Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary, State House; and Mrs. Oyinade Nathan-Marsh, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations.
