The Budget Office of the Federation (BoF) has announced the government’s discontinuation of funding of professional bodies and councils beginning from January 2024.
The director general of BoF, Mr. Ben Akabueze, stated this in a memo sent to the professional bodies and councils.
The memo dated 26 June and marked DG/BDT/GEN. CORR/2016/XII/3067, asked those affected to begin to make adjustments early so they can continue to run their organisations seamlessly after the government might have withdrawn its financial support.
Akabueze said the decision was in line with the recommendation of the presidential committee on salaries (PCS).
It reads: “I wish to inform you that the presidential committee on salaries (PCS) at its 13th meeting approved the discontinuation of budgetary allocation to professional Bodies/Councils effective 1st January, 2024.
“The purpose of this letter therefore is to inform you that, in compliance with PCS’s directives, this office will no longer make budgetary provisions to your institution, which means that you will be regarded henceforth as a self-funded organisation.
“For the avoidance of doubt, you will be required, effective 1st January 2024, to be fully responsible for your personnel, overhead and capital expenditures.”
NewsGazette gathered that no fewer than 25 professional bodies and councils under the ministry of trade and investment, ministry of information and communication, ministry of agriculture and rural development, ministry of transport, ministry of mines and steel, ministry of justice, ministry of works and housing, and the ministry of environment among others will be affected by the development.
Those that will be affected include Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Computer Registration Council, Librarians Registration Council, National Education Research and Development Council, Mass Literacy Council, National Examination Council (NECO) and the West African Examination Council (WAEC) under the Ministry of Education.
Under the ministry of health, those to be affected include the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria will be affected.
Others include Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Press Council, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geosciences; Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Survey Council of Nigeria, Legal Aid Council, Council of Legal Education, National Automotive Design and Development Council; Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council; the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology among others.
