Breaking: BudgIT identifies 460 duplicated projects, worth N378bn, other corruption loopholes in the 2022 budget

Foremost Civic Body, that applies technology to intersect citizens’ engagement with institutional improvement to facilitate societal change, BudgIT, says its preliminary analysis of the 21,108 capital projects in the 2022 approved budget, revealed 460 duplicated projects, worth N378.9billion.

Recall that BudgIT observed 316 duplicated projects in the 2021 FG Budget approved by the National Assembly, while ICPC verified 257 duplications, with the Budget Office, confirming the existence of 185 duplicated projects worth N20.13bn, after which it informed the public that funds were not released for the projects in 2021.

A press statement obtained by Fresh Angle International from the verified twitter handle of BudgIT this morning, Monday January 17, noted: “The occurrence of inflated projects amounting to billions of naira directly linked to the State House and the Presidency is a cause for concern.

“Examples include the N20.8bn requested by the Presidency to construct a 14-bed presidential wing at the existing State House Medical Centre, N28.72m requested for the purchase of 2units of 10KG washing machine & 6units of LG TVs in the State House Lagos Liaison Office, etc

“Speaking of projects approved under MDAs that do not have the mandate to execute them, The National Agency for Great Green Wall which was set up to prevent land degradation and desertification afflicting 11 states in northern Nigeria and to boost food security in the country has N1.3bn of its CAPEX dedicated to purchasing Motorcycles, Street lights & other projects outside its mandate. This is disingenuous especially as communities in these states are being ravaged by bandits who often arrive in motorcycles.

“Likewise, four (4) recreational parks under the Ministry of Environment, have a total allocation of N67.8million to construct “Gun Armouries” in Cross Rivers, Kaduna, Borno & Yobe States, even though the Ministry of Environment is not a security agency.

“Why is the ministry of environment stashing guns in recreational parks in these states in an election campaign year and at a time when the country is facing unrest in nearly all of the 36 states.

“Nigeria is currently a battling a double-digit inflation, one of the worst 20 out of 196 countries in the world marked by soaring prices.

“Unfortunately, RBDA under the Ministry of Water Resources which was set up to facilitate mgt of water resources for agriculture that would end the tide of food supply fluctuations has instead morphed into an agency that constructs roads and supplies street lights. N6.3billion was allocated to this Ministry to supply street lights in 73 communities across the 36 states, while N14.8bn was allocated to construct 219 roads across 36 states; whereas most of these roads are the responsibilities of State and LGAs, not the FG.

“BudgIT is currently finalizing its detailed analysis of the approved FG #2022budget which would be presented to all stakeholders in the executive and legislative arm of government as well as the citizens.

“In the meantime, we call on the government to prioritise projects that are of utmost benefit and exercise discipline in implementing duplicated and poorly costed projects in the 2022 budget.

“We also enjoin all Nigerians, reformers, CSOs, the private sector and international community to join the call for an urgent redress of these issues to ensure public funds work for all Nigerians and not for a privileged few politicians”.

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