The Federal House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, over its investigation into the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.
The legislative House Committee on Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education also directed the Federal Ministry of Education to submit all documents relating to the implementation of the TVET programme to its secretariat on or before August 18, 2026, while ordering the minister to personally appear before lawmakers on September 17. It warned that continued failure to honour its invitations could attract further legislative action.
The resolutions were reached on Thursday during an investigative hearing at the National Assembly, following the minister’s repeated failure to appear before the committee or send a representative despite several official invitations issued by the lawmakers.
Chairman of the committee, Kayode Laguda, said the panel had been seeking information on the implementation of the Federal Government’s TVET initiative since January 30, 2025, but had yet to receive the required documents or secure the minister’s appearance before the committee.
According to Laguda, the committee’s latest correspondence, dated July 30, 2026, requested detailed records on the programme’s implementation and invited the minister to attend the investigative hearing.
“We have written several correspondences starting from January 30, 2025, seeking information on the activities of the Technical Vocational Education Training being implemented by the government.
“The last invitation was on July 30, but the minister is not here, and no representative was sent to the committee,” he said.
Laguda described the minister’s absence as surprising, noting that the committee had previously enjoyed a cordial working relationship with the Ministry of Education.
He reminded ministry officials that Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empower the National Assembly to investigate the activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies as part of its legislative and oversight responsibilities.
The hearing became increasingly tense as lawmakers criticised what they described as the ministry’s failure to cooperate with the committee’s investigation.
A member of the committee, Rabiu Yusuf, accused the minister of showing what he described as “a high level of disrespect” to the National Assembly and moved a motion for a vote of no confidence.
“This communication was neither acknowledged nor responded to. Information requested by the committee was not provided.
“We can rightly assume that there is a high level of disrespect to the institution of the legislative body by the executive, particularly the Minister of Education. I think it is high time for us to pass a vote of no confidence on the minister,” Yusuf said.
Another committee member, Bayo Adepoju, also faulted the minister’s repeated absence, describing it as a direct affront to the legislature.
“This is rude, unacceptable and something that should not happen in a democracy. We are constitutionally empowered to conduct oversight on Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Nobody is above parliament. After six letters to the ministry, the minister has still failed to appear. Nigerians deserve to know how this programme is being implemented,” Adepoju said.
However, some lawmakers appealed for restraint.
Paul Kalejaiye urged the committee to give the minister one final opportunity to appear before considering any punitive measures.
“This is the first time we are making a public pronouncement on him. We should give the honourable minister another chance by issuing him an ultimatum and fixing a date to appear before this committee before we pass a vote of no confidence,” he said.
Adepoju backed the proposal, maintaining that although the minister’s conduct was unacceptable, the committee should formally register its displeasure while allowing the ministry one final opportunity to comply.
Supporting the position, Laguda said his previous interactions with the minister suggested that the repeated absence might have resulted from circumstances beyond his control rather than a deliberate attempt to disregard the committee.
“I’ve had engagements with the minister in the past. I don’t see him as someone who would deliberately do this. Maybe there are reasons for it, but whatever is responsible, this definitely should not happen again,” he said.
Following deliberations, the committee unanimously resolved to grant the ministry a final opportunity to comply with its requests by submitting all documents and records relating to the implementation of the TVET programme from its inception to date by August 18.
The investigative hearing was subsequently adjourned until September 17, with the minister directed to personally appear before the committee.
Announcing the resolution, Laguda said the ministry was expected to provide comprehensive information covering every stage of the programme’s implementation.
“We are using this platform to request from the ministry to supply the committee with the necessary information that has been requested from inception to date.
“The submission of this information should be made available to the secretariat by the 18th of August.
“We are adjourning this meeting with the minister and the Ministry of Education to September 17, and we hope that the minister will be present on the new date given,” he said.