Corruption Exposed: Over 316 Duplicated Projects Worth N39.5bn Detected in 2021 Budget
- Some aberrations have been detected in the 2021 budget which has already been signed by President Buhari
- According to BudgIT, over 316 duplicated projects totalling N39.5 billion were discovered in the budget, among other aberrations
- The organisation, therefore, called on the federal government to implement urgent budget reforms
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BudgIT, a civic-tech non-profit organisation, says its scrutiny of the 2021 budget revealed at least 316 duplicated capital projects worth N39.5 billion.
Legit.ng reports that this is contained in a statement signed by BudgIT's communications associate, lyanu Fatoba, and released on the organisation's official Twitter handle on Tuesday, May 4.
Source: Facebook
The organisation which is leading the advocacy for transparency and accountability in public finance in Nigeria added that 115 of those duplicate projects occurring in the Ministry of Health.
Gabriel Okeowo, BudgIT's CEO, was quoted as saying in the statement:
"Our investigations into the 2021 budget revealed at least 316 duplicated capital projects worth N39.5bn, with 115 of those duplicate projects occurring in the Ministry of Health.
"This is very disturbing especially considering the health infrastructure deficit and the raging COVID-19 pandemic affecting Nigeria.”
In the 2021 budget, the entire security sector's allocation was N1.97tn, representing a 14% increase from the N1.78tn allocated in 2020, Okeowo said.
Security votes
BudgIT also noted that various non-security related government agencies now request and receive allocations for "Security Votes".
Legit.ng gathers that in the 2021 budget, a total of 117 federal agencies received allocations for “Security Votes” worth N24.3 billion, despite many of these agencies already having allocations for “Security Charges” to cover their security needs.
BudglT added that it observed the little budgetary allocation provided to other sectors are plagued with various loopholes for leakages and theft of public funds.
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Another disturbing trend noted by the organisation is that government agencies now receive allocations for capital projects they cannot execute.
Calling for urgent reforms, Okeowo enjoined the federal government to urgently block all loopholes in the budget creation and implementation process. He also called on the government to audit security spending.
Nigerians react
Olatunde Sola said:
"A P C is not a corupt party and this is till happen in Nigeria"
Ademitunji Afolabimi said:
"This is why I am tired of this call for good goverance, most time it could be frustrating to see that nothing is done.
"BudgIT have raised this, but nobody will stop the corruption.
"SERAPNigeria is an active group that always take the govt to court for wrong doing yet even when they win the cases, the govt do nothing.
"EiENigeria always put the govt on their toes, like their Executive Director gentle looks, they always gently and consistently keep asking the govt questions but they will never answer."
ThankGod C Ubani said:
"Despite all the corruption claims and facts presented by BudgIT, we're yet to see ONE prosecution."
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Meanwhile, the governor of Kano, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has stated that with the alarming level of corruption bedevilling Nigeria, progress and development will be impossible.
Governor Ganduje, represented by Alhaji Usman Alhaji, the secretary to the state government, disclosed this at the inauguration of an eight-man Anti-Corruption Strategy Steering Committee on Thursday, April 29.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governor said:
“Believe me, we don’t need to say that corruption in this country is killing all of us. The truth of the matter is that we will never develop or progress with this level of corruption in this country."
Source: Legit.ng
