Over 300 projects in the 2021 budget in Nigeria are duplicates according to BudgIT .
Nigeria’s 2021 budget of N13.588 trillion signed in December 2020 is under scrutiny after a civil organisation BudgIT disclosed that it discovered loopholes.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP further blames the misallocation of N39.5bn for 316 duplicated project on ministries, departments, and agencies, MDAs and members of the National Assembly, NASS in Nigeria.
It is calling out to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate MDAs and members of the NASS.
SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, in a letter, explains that the misallocation of public funds for duplicated projects undermines the ability of the indicted MDAs and the government.
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SERAP points out that MDAs failed to ensure respect for Nigerians’ human rights through developing and implementing well-thought-out policies, plans, and budgets.
More so, the parties did not comply with constitutional and international standards of transparency and accountability in preparing the budgets.
Misallocated public funds are expected to be returned to the public treasury, but the MDAs and NASS clearly didn’t.
Ministries in Nigeria involved in duplicate projects in the 2021 budget
- Health – 115 projects
- Information and Culture – 40 projects
- Agriculture and Rural Development – 25 projects
- Education – 23 projects
- Transportation – 17 projects
- Science and Technology – 17 projects
- Environment – 13 projects
- Power – 11 projects
- Ministry of Labour and Employment – 11 projects
- Ministry of Water Resources – 10 project
In another section of the report by BudgIT, the security sector received N10.02tn between 2015 and 2021 but without details about how the money has been spent.
Also, a total of 117 federal agencies received allocations in the 2021 budget for “security votes” worth N24.3 billion.
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SERAPs recommendation to the FG
- SERAP urges President Buhari to inquire explanations from the heads of involved MDAs for allegedly failing to comply with the international standards of transparency in budget processes.
- To publish the implementation status of the duplicated projects.
- To direct Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning to publish full details of the current implementation status of the duplicated and mysterious projects.
The FG has been given 14 days y the SERAP after the receipt of its recommendations.