The National Assembly has reportedly engaged in budget padding by approving a staggering N42 billion for the Federal College of Horticulture in Dadin-Kowa, Gombe State. This figure significantly exceeds the college’s original budget proposal of N368 million, as revealed by BudgIT Foundation, a civic tech organization in Nigeria.
In a statement released on Monday, BudgIT noted that while the college submitted a modest request, the National Assembly drastically inflated it to N42.7 billion, including projects beyond the college’s official mandate.
BudgIT expressed its concerns on social media, stating, “Which way, Nigeria? We must fear God, as this situation raises serious questions. The Federal College of Horticulture proposed N368 million, but the National Assembly approved N42.7 billion—a difference of N42 billion! How can such insertions be justified in a nation burdened with loans and high debt service costs? This is a clear indication that #TheBudgetisaMess.”
Among the questionable budget insertions are N1.6 billion allocated for “supply and installation of solar street lights in federal constituencies” across multiple states, including Osun, Edo, and Lagos. Additionally, N1.5 billion was earmarked for “construction of classroom blocks, solar street lights, boreholes, and transformers in selected federal constituencies.”
Other dubious allocations include N2 billion for “solar-powered boreholes in Kebbi, Oyo, and Katsina” and another N2 billion for “construction/rehabilitation of community primary schools or healthcare centers in the South West.”
Further allocations involve N1.1 billion for “solar-powered street lights in rural farming communities” and nearly N996 million for “supply and distribution of tricycles for mass transportation in Lagos.”
Despite these substantial appropriations, the Federal College of Horticulture is a government-owned institution primarily focused on training in Horticultural and Landscaping Technology. It is located in Dadin Kowa within the Yamaltu Deba local government area of Gombe State and operates under the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, with the authority to award National and Higher National Diplomas.
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