Ministry of Science and Tech budgets N740.14m to buy ‘okadas’, sewing machines for empowerment

The Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, led by Minister, Adeleke Mamora, budgeted over N740.14 million in the 2023 budget to purchase and supply motorcycles.

Ripples Nigeria had previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari submitted N20.5 trillion budget for 2023. The budget was trailed with mixed reactions, one of them being Nigeria not having enough capital to fund the expenditure.

President Buhari’s 2023 budget was raised from N19.76 trillion, and has about N10.78 trillion deficit, that will require the government to borrow N8.80 trillion to fund it.

With the Senate committee on finance already requesting that the Buhari administration cut down the deficit, which was previously N12.43 trillion, the Ministry of Technology encroaching the field of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is making it impossible for the government to manage available resources.

The ministry of science and technology was created to facilitate the development and deployment of science and technology equipment to grow socio-economic development. Out of its N194.73 billion proposed budget for next year, it earmarked N740.14 million to buy motorcycles for women, youths and farmers.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that the funds budgeted for motorcycle purchase by the ministry of science and technology is more than the N637.50 million the ministry of industry and trade earmarked for motorcycle procurement.

Checks by this publication showed that a smaller percentage of the N740.14 million will also go to assorted food items for indigent families in Kano, with sewing machines, cars and desktop computers also accounting for smaller part of the budget.

READ ALSO: 2023 BUDGET: 14 universities get N230.9bn, as ASUU votes on strike

Breakdown of the N740.14 million budget

All the projects budgeted for are new, excluding the last two, which are ongoing.

• Supply of motorcycles to women and youths in bosso/paikoro Federal constituency, Niger state. (Sedi-minna) (N42,500,000)

• Supply of motorcycles to Akko constituency to ease transportation of goods and services (N106,250,000)

• Supply of motorcycles in Akko federal constituency, Gombe State (N85,000,000)

• Purchase of motorcycles for Jechira, Konshisha/Vadeikya Federal constituency, Benue state (adv. Unmaned aerial vehicle Lab. Uburu, Ebonyi) (N51,000,000)

• Supply of motorcycles for youth empowerment and Procurement of assorted food items for indigent families across Tudun wada/doguwa federal constituency, Kano State (N170,000,000)

• Procurement of motorcycles for youth cooperatives in Kwande/ Ushongo federal constituency, Benue state. (N25,500,000)

• Supply of motorcycles to rural farmers for irrigation project In Bagwai local government area, Kano State (bio-resource Centre, Kano) (N17,000,000)

• Supply of motorcycles, desktop computers and water pump with accessories to Kauru federal constituency, Kaduna State (N51,000,000)

• Provision of empowerment (cars & motorcycles) to Commercial transporters in kwar north (N29,750,000)

• Purchase of motorcycles for motorcycle transporters and farmers (N94,144,025)

• Supply of motorcycle and sewing machine in selected local government in Kebbi State (N42,500,000 ongoing)

• Supply of empowerment materials (motorcycles & sewing machines in selected local government of Kebbi State (N25,500,000 ongoing)

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