By Deborah Coker
The Senate multi-committee budget defence meetings are crucial for scrutinising government spending plans and policy priorities ahead of the upcoming fiscal cycle.
Sen. Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta), who represents Delta North Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation, said this while speaking to some journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
He noted that his active participation in a series of high-level budget defence sessions covering the Finance, Local Government, Sports, and Defence sectors, underscores his continued involvement in legislative oversight and fiscal accountability processes within the National Assembly.
According to him, as a member of each of the relevant committees, I engaged directly with ministry and agency representatives, contributing to deliberations and raising questions aimed at strengthening transparency and efficiency in public resource management.
“Budget defence sessions are a core component of the legislative appropriation process, enabling lawmakers to review proposed expenditures, verify programme justifications, and ensure that budgetary allocations align with national development goals.
“Through these sessions, committees evaluate funding requests, performance benchmarks, and implementation frameworks submitted by government departments and agencies.”
The lawmaker emphasised that the sessions provided a critical opportunity to interrogate proposals and test the assumptions behind projected spending.
Discussions at these meetings focused on resource allocation models, sectoral priorities, and policy direction, with committee members assessing whether proposed budgets adequately address operational needs while delivering measurable public value.
Nwoko who is a member of the senate committee on finance said that in the Finance sector review, deliberations centered on revenue projections, fiscal discipline, and macroeconomic stability measures.
“Lawmakers examined funding structures and questioned underlying assumptions affecting budget sustainability.
“The local government session addressed grassroots development funding, administrative capacity, and mechanisms for improving service delivery at the subnational level.
“The Sports budget defence include scrutiny of infrastructure development plans, athlete support programmes, and international competitiveness strategies.
“While in the Defence sector, session focused on security funding requirements, procurement frameworks, and operational readiness, with committee members weighing the balance between immediate security needs and long-term capability building,” he said.
He added that by taking part in multiple budget defence panels, he had contributed in no small way to cross-sectoral oversight and policy alignment discussions.
NAN