Kwara State Government’s Spending Dilemma: Roads or Dormant Ventures?
0
0
Kwara State Government’s Spending Dilemma: Roads or Dormant Ventures?
By Abdulwaheed Onikanhun
In Kwara State, a glaring fiscal dilemma looms large, casting a shadow of doubt over the government’s financial priorities. As citizens grapple with crumbling road networks, a stark contrast emerges between urgent infrastructure needs and the allocation of funds to dormant ventures. This stark incongruity begs the question: why are essential road repairs and construction of new ones sidelined in favor of projects with questionable viability?
Traversing the pothole-ridden streets of Ilorin on Friday, May 3rd, 2024, I couldn’t ignore the frustration of witnessing a staggering ₦175,556,946.00 allocated for facility management of a Dormant Garment Factory Village. Meanwhile, crucial road repairs remain partly neglected, endangering motorists and pedestrians alike. The majority of households in Kwara State still lack access to clean water, emphasizing the dire need for infrastructure development in the state, despite receiving a staggering Eighty one billion, eight hundred and fifty eight million, Eight hundred and eighteen thousand, one hundred and fifty nine naira (₦81,858,818,159) in revenues in just three months (January to March, 2024).
READ ALSO: Edun Demands Digitisation of Pension in Nigeria
A closer examination of the quarterly budget performance for Q1 2024 only amplifies the disappointment. Despite an initial hefty budget allocation of ₦178,905,088,681 for capital expenditure in 2024, only ₦20,148,183,197 was spent in the first quarter (January to March), falling significantly short of the projected ₦44,726,272,170 for the same period. This represents a mere 45% performance against quarterly estimates and a dismal 11.3% compared to the original budget.
Furthermore, the fourth quarter of 2023 saw a total capital expenditure of ₦23,167,739,145, which fell below the projection of ₦33,782,766,181. This represents a 68.6% performance against quarterly estimates and a 17.1% performance against the expected final budget of ₦135,131,064,726. Cumulatively, the total actual capital expenditure performance from January to December 2023 was ₦61,034,796,239, reflecting a mere 45.2% utilization of allocated funds for the year.
Of particular concern is the meager ₦3,072,852,708 allocated for new road rehabilitation and construction, neglecting critical infrastructure needs in favor of dormant projects. Additionally, excessive spending on personnel costs and bloated overheads of Kwara State Government House amounting to the tune of (₦2,345,766,807.00) in the first quarter and questionable expenditures of (₦3,415,048,172.17) on reform of government/governance raise doubts about fiscal prudence and leadership integrity in the state.
Despite promises of road construction across three senatorial districts, including a proposed flyover at Unity Road, a mere ₦275,165,501.00 was allocated for these projects, highlighting a lack of coherent development planning and failure to address pressing community needs.
This mismanagement erodes trust in the government and calls for greater transparency and accountability. As taxpayers, citizens of Kwara State demand assurance that their funds will be used judiciously for community welfare. It’s time to hold our leaders accountable and ensure that essential infrastructure needs are prioritized over dormant ventures.
He Writes from Ilorin and can be reached via aobello1020@gmail.com
