TheCable

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) says the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget approved by the federal government is an “unnecessary expenditure on frivolous items”.

On Monday, the federal executive council (FEC) approved the submission of a supplementary budget of over N2.17 trillion to the national assembly.

The government earmarked N12.7 billion for the presidential air fleet in the supplementary budget and also appropriated N18 billion as the expenditure for the three off-cycle polls in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.

Following the president’s request for a “speedy” consideration and approval of the appropriation bill, the house of representatives and senate speedily passed the bill for a second reading.

The passing of the supplementary budget will raise Nigeria’s total 2024 budget to N28.17 trillion.

Reacting to the development on Wednesday, Auwal Rafsanjani, the executive director of CISLAC, said the supplementary budget is a “trojan horse for wasteful, suspicious expenditure on frivolous items”.

Rafsanjani added that the federal government should desist from “extravagance and opulence”. 

“There is a troubling trend of upholding the luxurious lifestyles of public officials at the cost of the public, while the country grapples with widespread poverty and high levels of unemployment,” he said.

“Supplementary budgets are meant to take care of expenditure that was not factored in during budget-making.

“While the national assembly had recently passed, and signed, a supplementary appropriation act 2023 for over N819 billion (Eight Hundred and Nineteen Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira), a second supplementary budget was conceived in response to the impact of the petrol subsidy removal for further provision of additional palliative measures, including the wage award for public servants and the enhanced cash transfer programme, which was intended to benefit the most vulnerable members of our society.

“However, this has become a “Trojan horse” for wasteful, suspicious and unnecessary expenditure on frivolous items, including N18 billion to the Independent National Electoral Commission for conducting off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States on November 11, 2023.

“It is worthy to note that this had already been covered in the 2023 budget, according to INEC chairman during the quarterly civil society consultative meeting on 25th October 2023. 

“In fact, according to the chairman, all 5 off-cycle elections, including Anambra and Edo state elections, had been catered for by the 2023 general election budget.

“One therefore wonders what the 18 billion Naira which was covered by the previous budget would be used for.

“What informed these budgets? How pertinent are they in the face of Nigeria’s more pressing economic needs?

“Should we be borrowing for frivolities considering our overbearing debt burden? Should Nigerians be tightening their belts to satisfy a few?

“It is insensitive and irresponsible to earmark N6.9 billion for the procurement of vehicles for the state house and N1.5 billion allocated for new cars for the unconstitutional office of the first lady, among other frivolous items.

“Government budgeting represents the essential process of distributing revenues and borrowed funds in order to achieve a nation’s economic and social objectives.

“To realize this, President Tinubu should, in line with responsible governments worldwide, enhance the efficiency of public expenditure to ensure the optimal economic outcomes from the production and delivery of goods and services while maintaining a sound fiscal position.”