BudgIT has demanded that the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing release information on the projects currently being implemented and the actual cost released for each project.

In a statement on Monday, Budgit wondered what project the ministry spent N170bn on, after a recent revelation that no new project has been awarded lately.

It asked the ministry to provide information on the projects being implemented including names of contractors and location of such projects.

“The financial report document released by the Office of the Accountant General revealed a sum of N170,425,193,94 was released to the Ministry as at October 2016 from a total capital budget of N353bn.

“If the funds released to the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing are meant for old projects, what projects did the Ministry spend N170bn on? The Ministry of Works, Power and Housing should provide information on the projects currently being implemented, the actual cost released for each project, name of the contractors and the locations of the projects .

“This is a basic requirement to measure the judicious utilisation of public funds by any public office.”

Budgit noted that it had previously made such request which was ignored by the Ministry.

“It is pertinent to note that this issue was covered in our FOI Request to the Ministry dated December 6, 2016 to which the ministry has refused to respond to till date. The Freedom of Information Act 2011 mandates every public office to provide information to the general public when requested.  If the information we requested for – information about how public fund is being expended – was released within the time stipulated by law, this denial would have been unnecessary,” Budgit said.

Azeez