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BBYDI Raises Concerns Over Kwara State’s 2025 Budget

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BBYDI Raises Concerns Over Kwara State’s 2025 Budget

 

By Kaosara Olayemi Oladimeji

 

A non-governmental organization, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative, BBYDI, has expressed concerns over the Kwara State Government’s 2025 Proposed Budget, citing issues with transparency, fiscal discipline, and developmental priorities.

 

In a review of the budget, the organization noted that while the budget includes some commendable provisions, such as the inclusion of minimum wage adjustments and increased allocations for key sectors, it also raises significant concerns.

 

According to Jairus Awo, Communications Officer of Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative, “The budget’s heavy reliance on federal allocations makes the state vulnerable to national economic fluctuations and revenue shortfalls. The state has projected total revenue of N469.91 billion, primarily sourced from Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements (N259.79 billion) and internally generated revenue (IGR) of N96.23 billion.”

 

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Awo further stated that the budget anticipates external loan receipts of N70.43 billion, a substantial increase that could exacerbate the state’s debt burden if mismanaged. “This is a significant concern, as the state is already committing N11.78 billion to debt servicing, an amount that could be better spent on essential services,” he said.

 

The organization also expressed concerns over the high recurrent expenditure, which allocates N204.71 billion, representing over 37% of total spending.

 

“This is significantly high for a state with pressing developmental needs. Personnel costs amount to N69.14 billion, raising concerns about an over-bloated payroll, while overhead costs for ministries skyrocketed to N107.2 billion, suggesting potential inefficiencies and wasteful administrative spending,” Awo noted.

 

The organization further criticized the underfunding of the education and health sectors.

 

“Education received N51.53 billion, which is only 9.5% of the budget, falling short of UNESCO’s 15-20% recommendation. Health was allocated N43.1 billion, failing to meet the Abuja Declaration’s 15% benchmark. Meanwhile, allocations for pilgrimage boards, political offices, and administrative agencies continue to rise, reflecting poor spending prioritization,” Awo said.

 

The organization also raised concerns over inflated project costs, transparency deficiencies in budgetary allocations, and poor social protection and job creation measures.

 

“The Ministry of Works and Transport was allocated N30.57 billion, but without detailed clarity on specific road projects or implementation strategies. The Ministry of Communications received N2.75 billion, which seems disproportionately high for a state struggling with basic infrastructure,” Awo noted.

 

Additionally, the organization expressed concerns over the lack of detailed breakdowns for certain government agencies, commissions, and councils, which hinders public scrutiny.

 

“The budget fails to outline clear performance metrics for ongoing projects, making it difficult to assess the effectiveness of previous investments,” Awo said.

 

BBYDI urged the Kwara State House of Assembly to address these concerns by reducing recurrent expenditure, increasing investment in education and health, providing transparency and accountability, strengthening internally generated revenue, implementing realistic revenue forecasting, and prioritizing social services and job creation.

 

“The Kwara State Government must prioritize the needs of its citizens and ensure that the budget is transparent, accountable, and focused on developmental priorities. A responsible, transparent, and development-focused budget will be essential in ensuring that Kwara State’s resources are utilized efficiently and equitably to benefit all citizens,” Awo said.

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