Says 45 MDAs Awarded Contracts Not Mandated with Construction Projects
- Safiu Kehinde
A Nigerian social-political accountability group, Tracka, has raised alarm over the N22.15 billion allocated from the 2026 Budget to construct 106 palace building, alleging that 11 out of the proposed palace project have no identified location.
Tracka made this known in a statement issued on its official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the group, the 11 palace projects worth N5.85 billion out of the N22.15 billion budget have no physical locations, making public oversight on the execution of the projects almost impossible.
Tracka also alleged that none of the 45 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, awarded the contracts has the statutory mandate to construct palaces.
Among the agencies budgeted to execute the projects are the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (N3.92bn), Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan (N3.29bn), Sheda Science and Technology Complex (N1.54bn), National Cereals Research Institute (N427m) and Industrial Arbitration Panel (N369.4m).
Others include National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (N280m) and Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Dawanau (N42m).
Tracka faulted the Federal Government’s intervention on the palace construction which it labelled to be local in nature and as such meant to be done by states and local governments.
‘At a time of rising debt and limited fiscal space, should the Federal Government fund projects that are largely local in nature, while states and local governments constitutionally exist to address many community-level needs?
‘This is not about the importance of our traditional institutions. It is about ensuring that public budgets reflect constitutional responsibilities, institutional mandates, and Nigeria’s development priorities.’ It said.
The group charged FG to desist from funding such projects considered to be outside its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
‘The Federal Budget should not become a vehicle for financing projects outside the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the institutions implementing them.
‘Nigeria deserves a budget that is lawful, transparent, and development-driven.’ Tracka said.