Senator Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, has accused the federal government under President Bola Tinubu of being distracted by political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, resulting in the capital component of the 2024 budget remaining largely unimplemented.
Speaking on the floor of the senate on Tuesday, Dickson said governance has grounded while Nigerians were not benefitting from the budget passed by the national assembly.
Dickson expressed his concerns stating that governance has “grounded” and Nigerians are not benefiting from the budget passed by the National Assembly.
He noted that the government’s focus on politics and the 2027 elections was hindering effective governance.
“Government has grounded, that’s what it means. Contractors who have been done their jobs and committed their resources cannot be paid.
“The benefits of the budget that we all took time to work on and pass have not gotten to the people.
Dickson said while the recurrent component of the budget covering salaries and administrative costs had been fully disbursed, the capital portion, which directly affects ordinary Nigerians, remained untouched.
He noted that the delay in implementing the capital budget has resulted in contractors staging protests and has negatively impacted the development of the country.
Dickson emphasised that the work of government both at the legislative and executive levels was being neglected.
“The business of the Nigerian people, for which we were all elected all of us and the president of the Federal Republic is not moving forward,” he said.
Dickson who spoke during a debate on a motion sponsored by Solomon Adeola, senator representing Ogun west and chairman of the senate committee on appropriation, which sought to extend the capital budget implementation timeline to December 31, 2025.
While supporting the extension, Dickson said no compelling reason was given for the delay in implementation of the budget.
“Unlike other motions and debates he (Adeola) has led, for which we have always supported even from this isle the chairman today has not given compelling reasons why this extension has become necessary.
“I don’t want to hazard any guess, but from this aisle, you all know what is happening. Maybe there is too much preoccupation with politics and 2027.
“Maybe there is too much concentration on receiving defectors all across the country, and people are not looking at the big picture, ” Dickson said.
Dickson emphasised that the availability of money were not the challenge, as state governments and local governments were receiving more funds.
“All of us supported the withdrawal of fuel subsidies, meaning that there is even more money.
“State governments and local governments are getting far more money which is good. So, the availability of money is not the challenge.
“The reason the capital component of the budget has not moved forward for the benefit of Nigerians is not because there is no money, ” he said.
The senator also said that there were even reports of protests by frustrated contractors, who have not been paid despite completing their projects.
“You recall that some weeks back, contractors, out of frustration and anger, I hear, even staged demonstrations. A number of you on this floor may be familiar with that,” he said.
“Contractors who have done their jobs and committed their resources cannot be paid. The benefits of the budget that we all took time to work on and passed have not gotten to the people, ” he said.
Dickson urged the senate to mandate a joint inquiry by the appropriation and finance committees to determine the cause of the delay and prevent a recurrence.
“As a matter of fact, both committees, led by the appropriation committee and perhaps the committee on finance as well, should jointly, within the next one week, undertake an inquiry and report back to us why this has happened. So that we don’t have this happening again,” he said.
He however called on the Federal Government, government at all levels and politicians to pay attention to serious issues of governance including insecurity, economy of the nation.
‘I used the opportunity to call on the Federal Government, governments at all levels, and politicians to pay attention to the serious issues of governance i.e. insecurity, the economy, issue of national integration and equity while we strive together to support free and fair elections, an independent judiciary and a free Press, which are guarantors of our democracy, ” he added.
