Each line item in the budget is uniformly written with a code, description, amount and a note as to whether the project is new or ongoing.
Three projects in Nigeria’s Ministry of Education have been found to be without codes.
Each line item in the budget is uniformly written with a code, description, amount and a note as to whether the project is new or ongoing.
The Citizens enquiry platform run by the Civic Media Lab, however found the three projects without code in the ministry’s 2019 spending plan.
The projects were, “Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana – Afikpo, construction of one hostel complex for N30m.
“Federal Polytechnic Auchi, construction of lecture hall for N50m.
“Federal College of Education Omuku, perimeter fencing of the college for N35m.”
While this might not have any baring as to whether the projects will be executed or not, they add up to the mounting evidence of the unprofessional hand in which the country’s budget document is written.
The platform previously noticed a subhead called ‘Agricicultural facilities’ across several ministries in the 2018 budget.
It has also found projects that are poorly described – lacking a clear description of the number of equipment or facilities to be built or supplied, no detail as to where the construction refurbishment; or supply will be made, etc.
Some projects have also been found to have bogus descriptions and wrong information on the name of the location of the project.
Other line items are duplicated – appearing more than once under different codes with different amounts.
The lab found this to be the norm in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 budgets.
With the publication of the details of the budget proposal for 2020, Nigerians await the signing of the appropriation bill by January as promised by both President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the National Assembly.