Dons Eze
HOW TINUBU GOVT USED RESEARCH INSTITUTES AS FRONTS TO DOLE OUT MONEY FOR UNRELATED PROJECTS
A review of the public payments portal, Govspend has shown that Nigeria Research institutes are fast becoming conduits for carrying out tasks that are outside their stated legal frameworks.
Most times the monies spent on these projects inserted into these research institutes’ budgets are usually more than what is spent on projects that are actually legal functions of these institutes, .
These projects range from buying tricycles, building boreholes, among others.
This is despite the fact that these institutes were basically set up for research purposes, to bolster development in the country.
For instance, details on the portal showed that the Federal College of Produce Inspection and Stored Products Technology, Kano spent the sum of N13.9 million as 30% mobilisation for construction of 39-solar street lights in Ikom/Boki federal constituency, Cross Rivers State.
Another sum of N13.1 million was paid as 30% mobilisation in respect to construction of classroom blocks in selected schools in Ikom/Boki federal constituency of Rivers State by the same college in Kano State.
In August 2023, a sum of N46.9 million was paid by the federal college for installation of Solar street lights in Bora town, Bauchi state.
All of these do not fall under its statutory functions.
In December 2023, the Cocoa Research institute located in Ibadan paid the sum of N173.3million for provision of Solar powered street lights in Asari-Toru local government area of Rivers state.
On 5th December 2023, the Cocoa research institute also paid the sum of N17.3million for purchase of tricycles for youth empowerment and women in Katagum, Bauchi state.
These expenditures fall outside of statutory functions, In fact none of the expenditures for the institute statutory functions actually got up to N173.3 million based on data reviewed by SaharaReporters.
A search on the website of the organisation shows that the Cocoa institute was set up with a mandate around Cocoa, Kola, Coffee, and Tea.
The institute is mandated to use technology and science to improve productivity around these stated crops.
The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute was set up basically for purpose of research, for instance functions listed on its website included; research on local building and construction materials to determine the most efficient ways for their usage, research on local construction, foundation and earth-works for buildings and bridges especially on open soil.
However, some of the payments made by these institutes, which were inserted into its budget, negate their core functions.
On 31st December 2023, the sum of N87.2 million was recorded as paid by the institute to purchase transport cars to empower constituents in Kwara North.
While the functions of the institute is basically research, a sum of N392.2 million was stated as used to build roads in Kwami and other areas by the institute, this was stated for 31st December, 2023.
Another N153 million was paid for construction of Efu Nkochi road.
A sum of N62.68 million was stated to have been used for solar street lights in Agwara/Borgu federal constituency, Niger State.
These developments are despite the stated dearth in the country’s research industry.
SaharaReporters recently reported how a lawmaker, James Faleke used a Federal Cooperative College in Kaduna to buy vehicles for traditional rulers in Ikeja federal constituency of Lagos state.
Experts who spoke to SaharaReporters blamed these developments on the federal law of the country, which makes lawmakers insert different and spurious constituency projects into ministries, departments and agencies, most times without the knowledge of these agencies.
These insertions also come when research institutes are calling for more government funding.
