An analysis by SaharaReporters of the 2024 Fiscal Appropriation Act (2024 approved budget), has revealed that the President Bola Tinubu’s government allocated the sum of N4,962,693,163 (N4.9 billion) to the National Institute of Construction Technology and Management (NICTM), a Federal Polytechnic located at Uromi in Edo State, to train Point of Sale, popularly known as POS agents, construct market shops and street lights in Plateau, Lagos, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa and Cross River states.
Other projects outside the polytechnic’s jurisdiction which the government allocated the funds for as observed by SaharaReporters are; construction of community halls in Delta State, supply of instructional materials in Plateau State, supply of hospital equipment to selected health centres in Delta State, and supply of motorcycles in selected communities in Kano State.
The polytechnic which is operating under the Federal Ministry of Education, was established by the federal government of Nigeria “To produce middle and high-level manpower for the nation’s economic and industrial growth in the areas of construction technology, applied sciences and management sciences.”
The polytechnic has the vision “To be a top-notch TVET Institution committed to raising a new generation of creative leaders in construction and related fields of endeavor,” and the mission “To create knowledge to drive the construction industry via hands-on skill-driven curricula; employing innovative methods in handling technical, vocational, and education and training of new generation leaders.”
By implication of the NICTM’s vision, mission and the Rector’s statement on the institution’s website, it is clear that the school has no business with construction of traditional palaces, construction of police stations and police quarters, construction and repair of soak-away, construction of street lights or supply of vehicles to either community vigilantes or traders.
However, analysis of the approved 2024 budget by SaharaReporters showed that with a total budget of N20,650,099,213, President Tinubu’s administration budgeted the sum of N100 million under the polytechnic for “Training and empowerment of youths on digital payment/banking (POS agents) in Mikang/Qua’an/Pan Shendam LGA, federal constituency, Plateau state.”
A sum of N200 million was allocated to the school for “Construction of market stalls and shops in Ribah Modern market,” of which the state where the market is located was not mentioned in the budget document.
The analysis further revealed that the government budgeted N30 million for “Construction of side drains and asphalting of Ukpoke road spur, Inemen, Ugoha, Esan South East Local Government Area, Edo state,” while N100 million was allocated for “Construction of bridge across Ule River in Ukhuse Ose, Owan West, Owan federal constituency, Edo State.”
Also, N500 million was allocated to the institution for “Rehabilitation/reconstruction of roads in Uzebba and other communities in Iwan federal constituency,” in Edo state, while N100 million was budgeted for “Supply and installation of solar street lights in selected communities in Brass/Nembe federal constituency, Bayelsa state.”The sum of N198,370,607 was allocated to NICTM for “Renovation of school buildings in Epe Grammar School,” in Lagos state and another N297,555,911 was allocated for “Construction of new hostel with furniture in Epe Grammar School.”
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Another N247,963,259 was budgeted for “Construction of inner roads with street lights in Epe Grammar School,” while N247,963,259 was budgeted for “Renovation of corpers lodge, principal quarters; renovation and equipping of dining hall at Epe Grammar School.”
A sum of N674,460,064 was budgeted for “Completion of BOB farm road, Wasinmi, Alafia Town, Ewekoro(Lot 1-3),” N247,963,259 allocated for “Construction of inner road with solar street lights in Ojomu area,” while another N247,963,259 was budgeted for “Construction of inner road with solar street lights in Ikota area,” of which state(s) were these areas are located was not mentioned in the budget.
Also, N100 million was allocated to the polytechnic for “Construction and installation of all-in-one solar street lights in Southern Ijaw federal constituency, Bayelsa state,” N200 million for “Solar borehole and all-in-one solar street lights in Akamkpa/Biase federal constituency, Cross River state,” and N45,453,545 was allocated for “Construction of boreholes in Chanchaga federal constituency, Niger state.”
A sum of N100 million was budgeted for “Supply and installation of solar street lights in Ogoja/Yala federal constituency, Cross River state,” N100 million for “Provision of industrial borehole with installation of overhead tank in Idumu-Agbala in Esan North East Local Government Area, Edo state and N200 million budgeted for “Supply and installation of 2-in1 K-integrated solar street lights to selected streets in Brass/Nembe federal constituency, Bayelsa state.”
A total of N270 million was allocated for “Construction of a block of six classrooms at Temogbene Primary School, Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency of Bayelsa state,” “Procurement and installation of solar powered street lights to communities in Burutu federal constituency,” Delta State and “Construction of community hall at Ofougbene community, Burutu federal constituency,” Delta state.
Tinubu’s government also allocated N90 million to the school for “Provision and installation of solar powered borehole and its ancillary works (overhead water tank) at Anyim Quarters, Igbodo and at Idumu-Obi quarters Akumazi Umocha, Ika North East LGA, Delta State,” while a total of N100 million was budgeted for “Provision of instructional materials, text books to selected primary schools in Keffen communities of Plateau State,” “Provision of solar street lights in Quanpan LGA, Plateau State,” and “Construction of 1 block of 4 classrooms at Ukhu Secondary School, Esan West, Edo Central Senatorial District, Edo State.”
Another total sum of N350 million was allocated to the school for “Supply of office desks to selected schools in Cross River North Senatorial District,” “Construction and installation of solar powered street lights across selected federal constituencies for road lightening,” in an unidentified state(s), and “Installation of all-in-one integrated solar powered street lights in Eko-Illeh, Edo state.”
A total of N50 million was budgeted for the polytechnic to use for “Training and empowerment of youths through basic driving school of mini buses for each rural-urban transportation scheme in Okpe LGA Central Senatorial District,” in Delta State; “Provision and Construction of H2GO Nano-carb membrane filtration technology solutions in town and villages along coastal population in Okpe LGA in Delta Central Senatorial District,” and “Supply of hospital equipment to selected health centres in Delta Central Senatorial District, Delta State.”
A sum of N150 million was allocated for “Construction and installation of all-in-one solar street lights (felicity 60 watt) for some selected communities of Idumemalu town in Esan West LGA,” of Edo state, while N15 million was budgeted for “Medical outreach, testing and dispensation of drugs in selected communities in Delta Central Senatorial District, Delta State.”
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
