BudgIT said it has uncovered about 460 duplicated projects worth N378.9 billion in the 2022 National Budget.
The civic organization explained that the discrepancies were discovered after examining the 21,108 capital projects in the budget.
The Presidency had submitted a proposed fiscal budget of N16.391 trillion to the national assembly, but the lawmakers later raised it to N17.127 trillion — an increase of N735.8 billion.
But BudgIT said in a statement: “Our preliminary analysis of the 21,108 capital projects in the 2022 approved budget revealed 460 duplicated projects amounting to N378.9 billion.
“Recall that BudgIT observed 316 duplicated projects inserted into the 2021 FG Budget approved by NASS. ICPC verified 257 duplications, while the Budget Office confirmed the existence of only 185 duplicated projects worth N20.13billion, after which it informed the public that funds were not released for the projects in 2021.”
Our preliminary analysis of the 21,108 capital projects in the 2022 approved budget revealed 460 duplicated projects amounting to N378.9 billion.
BudgIT also highlighted the occurrence of “inflated projects” amounting to billions of naira directly linked to the State House and the Presidency.
These include N20.8 billion requested by the Presidency to construct a 14-bed presidential wing at the existing State House Medical Centre; N28.72 million requested for the purchase of two units of 10kg washing machine and six units of LG televisions in the State House, Lagos Liaison Office, and a host of others.
Speaking of projects approved under the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that do not have the capacity to execute them, BudgIT said the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW), has N1.3 billion or 64% of its capital budget dedicated to purchasing motorcycles, street lights and other projects outside its mandate.
The organisation also raised questions on the Ministry of the Environment, which has an allocation of N67.8 million to construct “gun armories” in Cross River, Kaduna, Borno and Yobe states, while not being a security agency.
This is even as the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDA) had metamorphosed into an agency that constructs roads and supplies street lights.
