FOLLOWING the creation of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs by the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, expectations were high that the ministry would turn-around development of the region. Four years after, the existence of the ministry is yet to translate the people's hopes into reality.In 2009, N51 billion was budgeted for the Ministry by the Federal Government. Out of this, local travels and transport was given N122.1million, while international travel and transport was allocated N100 million.In the same year, projected expenditure for local training was N98 billion, security services and allied matters N710 million, refreshment and meals N50 million. Importantly, Lot(s) One to Four of the East West Road gulped N28 billion in that fiscal year. Housing Scheme and Mortgage was N500 million.In the 2010 Appropriation (Amended Act), the Niger Delta Ministry got an estimate of N86.2billion, with N205million budgeted for travels and training, N175million for maintenance (General), N162.8million for training (General), security and allied matters N700million, Sea Boat fuel N34 million, Generator Fuel N25million, refreshment and meals N30million, including meetings with youths and elders, N90 million.New Town/Industrial Park Development got N1.9billion, with the cumulative Lot(s) of East West Road taking about N30billion in that fiscal year.In the 2011 Appropriation (Amended Act), a total of N55.2 billion was allocated to the Ministry. From that amount, the Ministry's overhead was put at N2.4billion, while travel and transport (General) was allocated N250million. Training (General) was allocated N1billion, which covered 'non-militant training sensitization and mobilization. Security got N495million. N41.5billion (blanket allocation went for construction and provision of roads. Refreshment and meals got N12million, Erosion and flood control N5.2billion, Research and Development N100million, with an allocation of N1billion as 'Fund for economic empowerment, training and post training; there was also another N975million as 'Fund for Economic Empowerment' in 2010.In the 2012 Budget Proposal, the ministry projects to spend N59.7billion. Out of this, over N449million is for travel and transport (including international travels and training, which is split into two subheads). Overhead expenditure is projected at N1.7billion. Further, maintenance of office furniture for 2012 is projected at N118.5million. Expenditure for security services is projected at over N371 million, refreshment and meals, N31.9million.Through efforts of the Budget Office of the Federation, project repetition and duplication across the MDAs are exposed. In spite of that, there are still very unacceptable figures in this Ministry's 2012 Budget.Take for instance the N4.2billion allocated for research and development and another over N700million for computer software acquisition, which should be totally re-allocated in line with procurement laws.What was the N100 million allocated for research and development used for in the 2011 Budget of this Ministry' What is computer software that would cost about N800 million'Curiously, there is another N547 million for ICT networking centres and connectivity for the offices of the Ministry in the nine Niger Delta states. Meaning that over N1billion would be used for ICT and computers by this Ministry in 2012. If the Ministry doesn't already have Internet access, how come N20 million was allocated for Internet access in 2009' What also did the Ministry spend the N431million for ICT connectivity centre on in its 2010 Budget'Between 2009 and 2011 about N92million was allocated for feeding alone. If the projected estimate of N31.9million for feeding and refreshment as captured in the 2012 Budget proposal is given a legislative nod, then this Ministry alone would be spending over N150million for feeding and refreshment within a period of four years.There is also about N1billion expended on training from 2009 to 2011, which is also outside the N1billion for non-militant training and sensitization.There was another N1billion as 'fund for economic development,' which was allocated in 2011. If the N449 million allocated for training in 2012 is allowed, close to N3 billion would be expended by this Ministry at the end of 2012 budget circle on training alone.At a time when defence budget is taking a huge chunk of Nigeria's budget, government ministries are still competing with the security agencies for huge allocations. Between 2009 and 2011, a total of N2.4billion was appropriated for security alone. If the N371million projected for 2012 is added, close to N3billion would have been spent on security for the short period it has existed.At the same time, state governments, local governments, oil companies, military formation(s) (JTF) consume additional sums daily on security.The N3billion is outside the hundreds of millions budgeted by this Ministry for oil and gas asset protection programme, a veiled name for undisclosed security expenses.The fact is both the Federal Government and the Niger Delta Ministry are spending billions on security in a region where government is spending so much on amnesty programme. The Ministry claimed to have spent N50million on the design of an IT centre in 2009' NDEBUMOG is interested to know where the IT centre is located within the Niger Delta. This Ministry's expenditure on 'Generator Fuel' in 2009 was N32million, N25million in 2010 to about N5million in 2011. But how come separate Ministries own and maintain separate generators in a Federal Secretariat that is supposed to be centrally powered'FOR capital projects in 2012, is the Idoro Eaten-Itam Water Project, billed to gulp N400million. N50million was allocated for this same project in 2011. What was the N50million allocated in 2011 used for'The Owerri Urban Water Scheme is another fiscal setback. In 2010, the project was allocated N292.5million. In 2011, another N50million was allocated and another N500million is being projected for 2012. This shows that from 2010 to 2012 fiscal year, over N842million is projected for this single project at Owerri Urban. The people of Imo State should find out which of the government is actually spending money on this project and if the taps are flowing in Owerri'Other water projects include the Ubane Utanga Water Project in Cross River State, which was allocated N150 million in 2009, N195million in 2010, and N50million in 2011, with another N516million projected for same project in the 2012 Budget. That makes a total of about N911million within four years. Where are the huge sums previously allocated for this project'The same applies to Ukparam Water Project in Ondo State. That project got N100million in 2009, N97million in 2010, and N50million in 2011, with another N177million projected for 2012. Cumulatively in four years, this project could gulp N424million. Moreover, Niger Deltans are curious to know which Community (Isiokpo') in Ikwerre Local Government benefitted from the N195million (2010) and another N50 million in (2011) and (Ibaa') in Rivers State 2011.A Community like Alesa in Eleme Local Government has suffered rolling and duplicitous allocations of huge sums for project(s) the people never saw, or heard of.We demand that Ministries, Department and Agencies should pinpoint the exact location of any project, the clan and local government where such projects are located.Niger Delta Ministry's N100million in 2011 for (Eleme') Water Project without any clear location is questionable.The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has budgeted N244 million for a major 'Water Works' in Alesa Clan, out of which N36. 6million had been committed to the contractor and with a budget of N48.8million approved as part of this in 2011 NDDC budget. This is another case of duplicity, considering the fact that, Niger Delta Basin and Rural Development Authority (NDBRDA) has (claimed to) be spending tens of millions on the same Alesa Water Project since 2006. Same Alesa Community was given a Budget Line of N50million in 2011 for Land Reclamation in a community that is not riverine' Or is it the pond in the community that the N50million was spent to reclaim' This same Ministry had earlier allocated N50million eachfor shoreline protection and canalisation at Aleto and Ekporo Communities in Eleme Local Government in 2011.Ironically, these communities are upland, with fairly good soil topography. Could the Ministry of Niger Delta and NDDC erroneously allocate figures to projects, which an Agency like the Niger Delta Basin and Rural Development Authority (NDBRDA) had also claimed intervention on' Is this duplication due to absence of inter-agencies intelligence and synergy'If the (MDAs) had conducted Budget Town Hall Meetings within the region, they could have known the truth of the situation.On Electricity, a project for Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State was allocated N200million in 2009, N263.2 million in 2010, N50million in 2011 with another N200 million projected for it in the 2012 Budget, which would bring it to over half a billion within the period. This should interest the people of Khana and the Local Government Authority there.Erei Electrification Project in Cross River State was allocated N100 million in 2009, N97million in 2010, and N50 million in 2011, with another N200 million allocated to same project in the proposal for 2012.For the Peremabiri-Ogbokiri electrification project in Bayelsa State, N200million was allocated in 2009, N195 million in 2010, N50million in 2011, with another N400 million projected for same project in the 2012. This adds up to a total single expenditure projection of N845million by 2012.NDEBUMOG is curious to know why this Ministry is indisposed to holding Budget Town Hall Meeting(s) within the region, but would rather continue to allocate figures to many of the projects that do not exist'The excuse(s) of lack of AIEs releases from the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) isn't holding water, since the Federal Ministry of Finance has not been releasing MDA by MDA disaggregated Budget Performance Reports to Nigerians.As at 2009, several billions was allocated for Skill Acquisition Centres by the Ministry. N2.7billion was put in the 2009 budget as a line item. There was also another allocation of N200million for a Skill Acquisition Centre in Akoko-Edo, Edo State, N127million Mosogar Skill Acquisition Centre, N200million for Oguta, Imo State, and N300million for Ikwerre in Rivers State, N800million for Technology Centre in Eleme Local Government Area, excluding design and prototype, which was allocated N50 million that year.In 2010, a lump sum of N8.7billion for the same Skill Acquisition Centres was proposed. By 2011, another N2.5 billion was allocated for the same set of Skill Acquisition Projects, with N5billion now projected 2012. Cumulatively, about N11billion would be expended on this set of projects if the allocation for 2012 scales through.On Road Construction, we want to be excused from the confusion and mess going on around the East-West Road. Only Mr. President can inform Nigerians on how much is really being spent on this Road.For other road projects, the 21.9 kilometres Ekparakwa-Ukanafun-Ikot Ubo-Aba Road was allocated N500million in 2009, N975million in 2010, and N110million in 2011 with another N900million projected for this same road in the 2012 Budget.Still on roads, Omelema-Agada road in Rivers State was allocated N100million in 2009, N975million in 2010, and N200million in 2011, with another N900million being proposed for 2012.The essence of the Medium Term Sector Strategies (MTEF) has been rubbished and the whole national budgeting framework turned upside-down.Being report of budget monitoring by the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG)
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