Senate pushes Public Complaints Commission 2026 budget to N109bn from N29bn

…As Ethics Committee seeks N20m increase in monthly allocation

The Senate has recommended an increase in the 2026 budget of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) from N29.46bn to N109bn

The recommendation followed the submission of the harmonised 2026 budget report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West).

Presenting the report, Neda Imasuen (APC, Edo South), the chairman of the Ethics Committee, explained that under the 2025 Appropriation Act, the commission received N14.46bn which, although fully released, was insufficient to meet its obligations.

According to him, the 2025 allocation was utilised for Personnel Cost of N10,375,448,635.00; Overhead Cost of N2,955,591,368.00; and Capital Cost of N1,128,959,997.00.

Imasuen noted that the PCC, as an arm of the National Assembly, enjoys first-line charge from the Federal Government’s Appropriation Act, but said its 2026 proposed allocation of N29,460,000,000 was grossly inadequate.

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He explained that almost the entire proposed sum; N28,393,588,773.00, would be spent on personnel costs, leaving only N1,066,411,277.00 for limited overhead expenses, with no provision for capital projects.

He said, “The justifications to use the sum of N28,393,588,773.00 are to implement payment of staff minimum wage as approved by the Federal Government, 15 months CONLESS arrears which is been enjoyed by the National Assembly staff and its other arms, five years promotion arrears, payment of benefits of retired Secretaries of the Commission and provision for employment of new staff, etc.

“The Commission requested for additional funding of N30,261,835,401.00 for Overhead Cost to pay for increased electricity tariff, fueling of motor vehicles and sewage charges, water rate, generators, training books/magazines/periodicals, etc.

“Additional Funding of N50,362,177,988.00 for Capital Cost is for the extension of Headquarters’ office, construction of office buildings in 21 states of the Federation and payment for lands already allocated to some state offices, purchase of vehicles, research and development, etc.

“The Committee recommended for increased funding of the Commission in the 2026 Appropriation Bill from N29,460,000,000.00 to N109,017,602,162.00.”

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions has also requested an upward review of its monthly allocation to enable it function effectively.

Imasuen reminded the Appropriations Committee of the committee’s mandate, saying, “You may recall that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions is one of the Special Committees of the Senate whose mandate is, among others, to address the grievances of poor Nigerians, workers, contractors, etc., when they petition to the Senate, either individually or as a group, seeking for justice over perceived injustice they are passing through in their places of work or when their rights are breached in their dealings with their employers, business counterparts, government institutions, etc.

“To carry out this enormous assignment of serving out justice to these Nigerians, the Committee sits nearly every day to ensure that it dispenses justice to the people timely as could be seen from the Committee’s reports that are presented at the Plenary and many others awaiting Senate consideration.”

He added that the committee incurs significant operational expenses.

“In doing this Mr Chairman, the Committee incurs a lot of expenses to purchase stationeries, office equipment, pay honorarium to members, transport assistance to the poor petitioners, dispatch of correspondences, and other logistics, etc., which based on the present economic realities, the N9,000,000 monthly allocation to the Committee has become too insufficient to defray these expenses.

“It is in view of this situation, that the Committee is humbly requesting that you use your good office to kindly increase the Committee’s monthly allocation to N29,000,000.

“The Committee would be grateful for your kind consideration and approval of this request, and it also requests that the payment of the new grant when approved will commence from January, 2026.”