A report has revealed how a Kano-based Federal College of Produce Inspection will receive the sum of N1,630,000,000 to install street lights and construct classrooms in some parts of Nigeria under the 2024 Capital Projects.
The college which is now known as the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology, was said to have been inserted into the 2024 budget to handle installation of street lights, a responsibility that is outside its mandate.
The institution is a training arm of the Nigerian Stored Produce Research Institute (NSPRI), an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It is mandated “to conduct middle-level manpower training in produce inspection and stored products technology for enhanced agricultural development in Nigeria”, but has deviated into handling of contracts across the country.
A report by BudgIT, a Not-for-Profit Body, which promotes accountability and transparency in public finance, revealed that the street light projects and construction of classrooms assigned to the agriculture training institute are to be executed in South West, Cross River, and some parts of Kano with the least allocation being N30 million per project.
The projects include the provision of solar-powered street lights across selected communities in South West for N500,000,000; the construction and renovation of classroom blocks in selected schools in Ikom/Boki federal Constituency, Cross River State for N50,000,000; and the construction of solar-powered street lights across selected communities for sustainability for the sum of N500,000,000.
Others include the construction of solar street lights in Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency, Cross River State at the cost of N50,000,000; construction of 1 block of 2 classrooms at Wari Ja Godiya Ward, Kabo LGA, KAbo/Gwarzo federal constituency, Kano State for N30,000,000; and the construction of hybrid solar street lights in selected communities for the sum of N500,000,000.
According to BudgIT, Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology, Kano “has a mandate to boost agricultural skills and support agricultural development. How does this align with its purpose?” The body which described the allocation as “misallocation” urged the National Assembly not to repeat the same in the 2025 budget.
Earlier this year, a report revealed how several millions of naira were paid into private accounts of individuals for projects and non-existing projects across Nigeria.
Budget padding, which is now a financial malfeasance between the executive and the legislature in Nigeria, is a fiscal irresponsibility, whereby funds are allocated to agencies and private individuals to execute projects which they are not qualified to handle or outside their mandate.
In most cases, such funds are looted or mismanaged.