The 2024 appropriations bill includes provisions by Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, for solar lighting in her local government area (LGA) and other places at a cost of N440 million.

The Senate passed the budget for third reading on Saturday and approved the demands of the executive, including the “Provision of solar streetlight to eight districts of Musawa Local Government Area, Katsina State”.

This project is to be executed in the minister’s LGA, and would cost the country N290 million.

Similarly, Musawa’s ministry plans to spend N100 million for “Road construction with solar street lighting at Dawanau Road, Kofar Waika, Kano State”.

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Another N50 million is earmarked for “Provision of solar street light to Gandi District, Rabah LGA, Sokoto State”.

The total sum for these three projects is N440 million out of the ministry’s N6.1 billion capital expenditure.

Streetlights are a common feature in the 2024 appropriation bill, with no fewer than 380 mentions for their construction, provision and installation. They exist in the budgets of the army, police, agriculture ministry, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Power, and more.

FIJ has reported how several questionable line items exist in the appropriation bill, but despite these irregularities, the Senate’s approval and the president’s signature would see it become law.