Nigeria’s Cereals Research Institute Allocates ₦100m For Road Construction, Other Projects Outside Its Mandate

Nigeria’s National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has allocated ₦100 million for road construction. This project is notably outside its usual mandate.

These projects were contained in its ₦9.5 billion total allocation for the 2024 budget, indicating an additional ₦50 million allocated for “surface dressing of some selected roads in the golf course area.”

These projects, far from NCRI’s responsibilities, have raised the question of why an agency mandated to provide “cost-effective agricultural research” and its dissemination to strengthen Nigeria’s food, including Rice, Sugarcane, Soybean, Castor and Beniseed in surplus for export.

Some other misappropriation of funds include ₦200 million to train and empower women and youths in cosmetology and supply and installation of solar street lights at Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency in Delta State. ₦207 million was allocated for the supply of sewing machines, hairdressing and barbing equipment, and deep freezers to youths and market women in Ukanafun/Oruk of Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.

Also, ₦250 million was allocated to supply infrastructural materials for primary schools in some selected communities in Kano State.

With the indication of constituency projects and signs of budget padding by lawmakers, West Africa Weekly gathered that Ndokwa/Ukwuani Constituency in Delta State received ₦200 million for women and youth’s empowerment in cosmetology, with NCRI as the implementing agency. Nnamdi Ezechi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chairman of the Nigeria/South Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group, represents the constituency.

Similarly, Ukanafun/Oruk LGA in Akwa Ibom received ₦207 million for sewing machines supplied to the constituency. Unyime Josiah Idem of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) represents the constituency.

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