A new report from BudgIT, a civic tech organisation, has revealed that the federal government allocated over N5 billion to the Nigerian Army for the construction of roads, drainages and solar street lights in Plateau, Abia and Rivers states in its 2023 budget.
BudgIT filed this finding under ‘Wrong Mandates’ to describe agencies given funds for projects outside of their statutory roles.
In Plateau State, the army was allocated N4.58 billion for the construction of Dengi-Kwalmiya-Gagdi-Wawus S/B Bauchi Road, and in Abia State, FG allocated N400 million for the rehabilitation, surface dressing and construction of drainages of rural roads in selected locations in Isukwuaotu/Umunneochi federal constituency, according to the organisation.
They army also got a N200 million project in Rivers State for the provision of solar street lights in Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru federal constituency and Tonex Road, Egbelebe, Okirika.
These were among 687 projects assigned to wrong agencies.
Furthermore, the 2022 federal budget was found to have had allocations paid into the personal accounts of individuals for provisions such as payment of ex-agitators, delegates and allowances, among others.
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According to the CSO, this was a violation of Section 713 of the 2009 Public Sector Financial Regulations, which states:
“Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with a fraudulent intention.”
Other budget discrepancies include the allocation of N81.7 billion for the installation of streetlights, which is more than the budget allocations for basic healthcare and education combined.
They also reported a 21 percent decline in empowerment projects for 2023 as compared to N58 billion in 2022.
The budget for empowerment programmes for the current fiscal year is N37 billion.
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