"For Educational Projects": Zamfara State Govt Denies Claim of N19.3bn Budget for Kitchen Equipment

• The Zamfara State Government has refuted reports that it allocated ₦19.3 billion for kitchen and canteen equipment in its 2024 budget
• Mallam Abdulmalik Gajam, the State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, explained that the ₦19.3 billion is allocated under the Ministry of Education
• The state government, under Governor Dauda Lawal, reaffirmed its commitment to preventing financial abuse and ensuring transparency in public expenditure

Zamfara State—The Zamfara State Government has firmly rejected claims that it allocated ₦19.3 billion for the purchase of kitchen and canteen equipment in its 2024 budget.

The Zamfara state government issued a statement on Wednesday, August 7, describing a media organisation's report as false and misleading.

Zamfara govt: N19.3bn was allocated for educational projects

Mallam Abdulmalik Gajam, the State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, expressed his disapproval of the inaccurate report, clarifying that the ₦19.3 billion was part of a broader budget allocation under the Ministry of Education, specifically designated for various educational projects and not for kitchen equipment, PM News reported.

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Gajam elaborated:

"The online platform that disseminated this misinformation utilized incomplete statistics and failed to include critical details from the full budget document.

The ₦19.3 billion covers a range of capital expenditures, including the agile program, construction of zonal primary schools, and provision of smart primary schools in Gusau."

Zamfara govt provides a breakdown of 19.3bn allocation

As reported by Leadership, providing a detailed breakdown of the allocation to the Ministry of Education, Gajam said:

"The alleged budget for kitchen equipment is a misinterpretation of a coded category within the capital expenditure."

He explained that the amount includes provisions for several educational initiatives, such as:

1. National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme for Pupils (N510,000,000.00)

2. Purchased of Kitchen Utensils (N40,000,000.00)

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3. Adolescent Girls Initiative for Leaning and Empowerment (AGILE) (N15,000,000,000.00)

4. Establishment of Zonal Mega Primary School (For Four Educational Zones) (N1,500,000,000.00)

5. Renovation of Smart Primary School Gusau (N300,000,000.00)

6. Purchased Furniture for Primary and Junior Secondary Schools (N500,000,000.00)

7. Renovation of Teacher Training and Development Center Gusau (N700,000,000.00)

8. Teacher Professional Development Funds (N800,000,000.00)

Zamfara Gov Lawal slammed over alleged role in hardship protests

In another development, Legit.ng reported that Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state has been accused of using the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests as a smokescreen to hide his administration's ineptitude, massive corruption, and cluelessness.

The Coalition of Northern Youths for Peace and Stability (CNYPS) spokesman Muhammad Garba Yahaya alleged that Governor Lawal deployed thugs and miscreants to hijack the peaceful protests.

Source: Legit.ng