“Case of Chop-Make-I–Chop”: Dino Melaye Speaks on Alleged Budget Padding in Senate

• Senator Dino Melaye said Nigeria's budgeting system has become an avenue to cheat and defraud the country
• Melaye alleged that the National Assembly and the executive are working in partnership to manipulate budget numbers
• The former federal lawmaker said things have fallen apart in the country and it's now a case of "chop-make-I-chop"

Legit. ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

FCT, Abuja - Former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye said it appears that the 2024 budget is an avenue to syphon public funds as he speaks on alleged budget padding in the senate.

Melaye said the 2024 budget will be the highest-ever budgetary allocation to the National Assembly.

The federal lawmakers increased their initial allocation from N197.93bn by 74.23 per cent to N344.85 billion.

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As reported by Vanguard, Melaye made this known in a statement.

He accused the lawmakers of sacrificing diligence on the altar of speed to pass the 2024 budget within 30 days and increased it by N1.2 trillion, bringing the total figure to N28.7 trillion.

“Sadly, it is the same story through all the ministries, departments, agencies, parastatals, and even the presidency. Our budgeting system is now an avenue to cheat, defraud the country, and enrich a few elected principal officers through manipulation of budget numbers, yet we still try to legalise the act.”

Melaye said the executive and the legislature now work hand in hand, in what he called a “chop-make I –chop” case.

“The National Assembly has failed in its primary assignment of checking the excesses of the executive arm of government. The National Assembly has turned a blind eye to a huge sum of money budgeted for imaginary projects. Both now work in partnership to perpetrate this miasma. It has become the case of chop-make I-chop. Things have fallen apart.”

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Tinubu opens up on budget padding

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu said that the integrity of the Senate was intact while speaking on the recent budget padding allegation that trailed the red chamber.

The president, on Thursday night, March 21, expressed the readiness of his administration to sustain the cooperation between the judiciary and the executive for the country's growth.

Tinubu made the comment while hosting the leadership of the Senate to a presidential dinner on Thursday to break the Ramadan fast at the state house in Abuja.

Source: Legit.ng