In a startling revelation, a review of the public payments portal, GovSpend, has shown that the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, spent a staggering N403 million on the renovation of toilets in a single day.
On June 27, 2024, the ministry made two significant payments: N158 million for the renovation of toilets at its headquarters and another N245 million to Optional Concepts Limited for similar renovations. The total expenditure on toilet renovations for that day amounted to N403 million.
To put this in perspective, the same amount could have been used to renovate 66 blocks of three classrooms each, at a cost of N6.1 million per block, according to government records on the GovSpend platform. Alternatively, this substantial allocation could have facilitated the construction of 51 solar-powered boreholes, with each borehole requiring an investment of N7.8 million.
This revelation comes shortly after reports from SaharaReporters highlighted other instances of high spending by the government. Between March and May 2024, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration reportedly spent N9.2 billion on motor vehicles, with N1.904 billion spent in March and an additional N7.3 billion in May.
Further scrutiny revealed that N366 million was spent on tyres over three days, with payments made on May 21, 2024, June 22, 2023, and June 24, 2023. Such expenditures have raised questions about the fiscal discipline of the current administration.
Previous reports have also shown substantial spending by the Tinubu administration on foreign exchange for travels and the rehabilitation of presidential buildings. For instance, on July 17, 2024, the presidency was noted to have spent N1.5 billion on foreign exchange.
These revelations come at a time when Nigeria is grappling with significant economic challenges, including a national debt standing at N121 trillion as of the first quarter of 2024. The country is also dealing with inflation and a lack of basic amenities such as healthcare, water, roads, and electricity.
Experts warn that if the government does not regulate its spending and manage the nation’s scarce resources prudently, there could be dire consequences. The ongoing scrutiny of the administration’s fiscal management underscores the urgent need for more responsible and transparent handling of public funds.
