Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secrets Reporters
As Nigeria currently grapples with the dramatic episode of budget padding rocking the Senate headed by Godswill Akpabio, data buried within the Delta State budget, when compared to its Rivers State counterpart, have suggested that the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led Government may be on the verge of pocking millions of Naira from budget padding.
Scrutinizing the Cross River State 2024 Budget, it was discovered that the government of Cross River State budgeted 50 Million Naira for an automatic number plate registration system by the Department of Motor Vehicle Administration.
On the other hand, going through the Delta State 2024 budget, N150 Million was also penned down for the same automated Number Plate Registration System by the Delta State Ministry of Transportation.
We gathered that the Ministry of Transportation budgeted the sum of N350 Million for Road Traffic and Warning Signs. Among other items budgeted for by the Ministry of Transportation are; 631 million Naira for the Construction/Rehabilitation of jetties waiting for sheds and landing stairs; N300 Million for the rehabilitation of Delta waterways at Ogbe-ljoh in Warrl South West LGA, among other items.
The total budget for the Ministry of Transportation amounts to N7.3 billion for 2024 against N4.6 billion for 2023.
Recall that recently, Senator Abdul Ningi, representing the Bauchi central senatorial district in the 10th assembly, in an interview with BBC, accused the senate president of padding the 2024 budget. As of the time of filing this report, N3.7 trillion Naira was yet to be accounted for. The allegation led to his suspension from the Senate for three months.
The budget allocation comprises N316,624,462,711 for recurrent expenditure and N408,354,851,156 for capital expenditure under the theme “Budget of Hope and Optimism.”
It is germane to note that the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, emphasized that the 2024 budget aims to propel the State’s economy toward sustainable growth. He highlighted its potential to stimulate domestic and foreign investments, bolster productivity, and improve Delta State’s overall business environment.
