By Philemon Amos
Accusations surface against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and colleagues for padding N500 billion palliative budget by over N200 billion.
It was reported that the budget padding was reportedly carried out during the amendment of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.
Sources say that Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, and Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly called Yayi, were the major architects of the budget padding.
This newspaper learnt that they allegedly inserted over N200 billion into the budget for projects that were not included initially.
For instance, N1 billion was suddenly earmarked for the “supply of Tricycles (Keke NAPEP) to the underprivileged in the society,” N2 billion was allocated to the “construction of public buildings in various communities and villages,” N4 billion was earmarked for rehabilitation and construction of selected critical roads while N2 billion was earmarked for the “construction of block of 3 classrooms with furniture and toilet, construction and furnishing of skills acquisition centres and construction of primary healthcare centres with furniture in some selected communities and towns”.
Other projects that were allegedly padded include the construction of Edi Road, Sabo Market and Ilaro Township Road, Yewa South, Ogun State; N1 billion for the construction of roads in Imeko, Afon, Iwoye and Obada, Ogun State; N1 billion for the construction of Ilashe-Agbara Road, Agbara Ado Odo-Ota in Ogun; N1 billion for the construction of market square -Fadama Ring Road, Imasayi, Yewa North and Ota Lafenwa Road section 1, Ota, Ogun State.
Others include:
-N800 million for police barracks, Old Baggage Link Road, Ode Ogun Idiroko, Ogun State
-N700 million for the construction of some rural roads in Ikot Ekpene LGA, Akwa Ibom to enhance agricultural output
-N1.25 billion for the construction of some rural roads in Essien Udim LGA to improve farm produce
-N1.25 billion for the construction of Afama Ikot Ebak, Ikot Akpan Essiet, Ura Kpan Ikot Ukpang and Ikot Ebie OkonRoads to boost agricultural output N1.25 billion
-N400 million for the construction of Ibi Akpan-Not Akan/Old Federal Government College Roads to boost farm produce
-N1.25 billion for the construction of some rural roads in Abiakpo Ikot Essien-Ikono to ease the movement of farm produce
-N1 billion for enhancing agricultural output by constructing all-in-one solar street lights on some roads in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Abak LGA and Essien Udim
-N2 billion for the repair of flood-prone sections along Abuja-Keffi expressway (Abuja bound) from Km 0+000 – Km 9+400 and construction of township road in Bare-Bari Bauya and Lailai in Yobe State
-N1 billion for the supply of brand-new Toyota/Lexus Jeeps
-N1 billion for the supply and installation of 300 KVA/500KVA transformers and electrification in selected towns and villages
-N2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of critical roads in south-south and southeast of the country
-N2.5 billion for the construction and maintenance of critical roads linking selected towns
-N2.5 billion for the provision of 3 x 300 KVA solar mini-grid and solar streetlights in selected communities
-N3 billion for mini-grid and other solar-powered installations on selected locations and roads
-N3 billion for the construction of roads and other infrastructure in some selected areas
-N3 billion for the reconstruction/construction of classrooms and provision of furniture in areas affected by flood and some selected areas
-N2 billion to repairs on flood-prone sections along Abuja-Keffi Expressway
-N900 million for the rehabilitation of Dan Fodiyo Teaching Hospital Annex Argungu Phase 1 in Kebbi State
-N1 billion for the construction of Section I of Iyin-Ilawe Ekiti State
-N1 billion for the construction of Section II of Iyin-Ilawe Ekiti State
-N1 billion for the construction of inner roads in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State
-N1 billion for the construction of inner roads in Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti State
-N70 billion for the provision of operational vehicles for members, office equipment, furniture fittings and other capital items for the 10th National Assembly.
The sources say that Senator Ali Ndume and other senators opposed the budget padding but that Akpabio and his allies went ahead with it anyway.