The National Assembly in an alleged budget padding spree of the 2024 Fiscal Appropriation Act, inserted N42billion in the Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin-Kowa in Gombe State, according to findings by BudgIT Foundation, Nigeria’s civic tech organisation.
BudgIT, which stated this on Monday, said that the Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin-Kowa in Gombe State, Northeast Nigeria, submitted a proposed budget of N368million to the National Assembly.
The civic organisation said however that the National Assembly jacked the proposed budget which is not up to a billion Naira to N42.7 billion with insertion of projects completely outside the college’s constitutional mandates and jurisdiction.
BudgIT in a post on X said, “Which way, Nigeria? Let us fear God in this country, because how can you explain this?
“The Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin-Kowa, Gombe, proposed N368 million, but the National Assembly approved N42.7 billion.
“A difference of N42 billion!!! How are these insertions okay for a country struggling with loans and a high debt servicing ratio? Kai, there is God o #TheBudgetisaMess.”
The organisation revealed that some of the inserted projects, most of which are projects outside the constitutional mandates of the colleges, include N1.6 billion allocated to the college for, “Supply and installation of solar street lights in federal constituencies in Osun, Edo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Osun state, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi state.”
Also, N1.5 billion budgeted under the college by the National Assembly for, “Construction of blocks of classrooms, solar street lights, boreholes and provision and installation of transformers in selected federal constituencies in Nigeria.”
A total sum of N2 billion was allocated to the college for, “Supply and installation of solar powered boreholes in federal constituencies in Kebbi, Oyo, Katsina, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Edo state,” and “Supply of mini buses in some selected areas of Saala Orile, Ibatefin and Orelope for human capital development batches 1-10.”
Another N2 billion was allocated for, “Construction/rehabilitation of some selected community primary (not known whether primary schools or primary healthcare centres) across South West,” and “Construction/furnishing of community commercial school Maun and Mayigi Community High School, Ilashe (Lot 1-2).”
A sum of N1.1 billion was allocated for, “Provision and installation of solar powered street lights for rural farming communities of K. Kusar/Shani federal constituency,” and “Installation of solar street lights for communities in Bassa, Kogi State.”
Another N995,926,518 was budgeted for, “Supply and distribution of Bajaj tricycles for unemployed persons for mass transportation within selected areas of Lagos,” and “Construction of solar powered boreholes in various locations in Sokoto and Bauchi states.”
While a sum of N695,926,518 was allocated to the college for, “Construction of classrooms in various locations in Kano state,” and “Supply of assorted food items for distribution as palliative across Maiduguri metropolitan federal constituency, Borno state.”
These budget insertions were made despite the fact that the Federal College of Horticultural Technology is a government-owned tertiary institution of learning.
Located at Dadin Kowa, Yamaltu Deba local government area of Gombe state, Nigeria, the college is a research institution under the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria with the mandate to train and improve manpower in Horticultural and Landscaping Technology.
The college with approval from National Board for Technical Education, is a National Diploma and Higher National Diploma awarding institution.