Puppet Thieves: How Ministry Of Sport Earmarked Billions Of Naira For False “Ongoing Projects”

SECRETS REPORTERS

As the Nigerian economy continues to dwindle, and Nigerians barely struggle to live up to the economic challenges, the Federal government of Nigeria has earmarked billions of naira for frivolous events, which, according to a former governor and 2023 presidential contestant, Peter Obi, is a misplaced priority.

Perusing the 2024 Budget of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was discovered that the Federal government of Nigeria budgeted a sum of 28,532,369,979 naira for the Ministry of Sports Development.

The document shows that the Ministry of Sport and Development will spend the sum of N1,340,000,000 for the preparation of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which is currently ongoing, according to the document. The ministry also earmarked the sum of N1,250,000,000 for the participation of athletes and officials at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a new project on the document. It was also revealed that N1,000,000,000 will be going into the construction of a mini stadium, “Agu Isi-Onye, Km 70,” in Enugu – Onitsha Dual Carriage Way, Anambra, an ongoing project according to the document.

Surprisingly, a sum of N1,700,000,000 has been allocated for constructing perimeter fencing for Packages A & B at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. Additionally, an amount of N450,000,000 has been earmarked for the repair of the steel cable structure and roof membrane at the main bowl and velodrome complex at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. According to the document, both projects are ongoing.

However, when SecretsReporters paid a visit to Moshood Abiola Stadium to determine the level and state of the ongoing project, our correspondents could not see any signs of ongoing construction around Packages A & B of the stadium. When our correspondent inquired from staff at the stadium if there was any ongoing construction going on in the stadium, he noted that there was no construction or maintenance ongoing.

It was also discovered that the stadium perimeter fence had already been built during the last renovation of the stadium sponsored by billionaire Aliko Dangote. There was no need to budget N1,700,000,000 for a project that had already been done.

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A message was sent to Minister of sport, Sen. John Owan Enoh to hear his side of the story, all he said was; “These projects are going through procurement processes,” leaving us to wonder how a project, tagged “ongoing” in the 2024 budget, and already renovated, be going through procurement process?
The Moshood Abiola National Stadium, formerly known as the National Stadium, Abuja, stands as a versatile national sports arena situated in Abuja, within the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. This stadium serves as the primary venue for the Nigerian national football team and plays a pivotal role in hosting various social, cultural, and religious gatherings. The Federal Government of Nigeria sanctioned the contract for constructing the National Stadium complex and Games Village on July 18, 2000. Its construction aimed to facilitate the hosting of the 8th All Africa Games, held in October 2003. Notably, on June 12, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari declared the renaming of the National Stadium, Abuja, to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in honour of the late Nigerian politician, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.