Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has raised concerns about the N49.7 trillion proposed in the 2025 budget, urging the Federal Government to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with the needs of the Nigerian people.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Rafsanjani criticized the inclusion of questionable allocations, especially funds designated for ministries that no longer exist, such as the Ministry of Niger Delta and the Ministry of Sports.
He described these allocations as an indication of poor needs assessment and lack of accountability. He called for reforms to restore public trust in the budgeting process.
“The inclusion of funds for non-existent ministries shows how Nigerians’ needs are ignored while public funds are misused. The Federal Government must prioritize projects that benefit the people,” Rafsanjani said.
Rafsanjani also condemned certain legislators exploiting the budget process to allocate resources for constituency projects without a legal framework for monitoring and accountability.
He stated that these projects are often carried out without adherence to public procurement regulations, failing to address the real needs of citizens.
“These constituency projects are used as political tools rather than addressing the actual needs of our people. They are implemented without oversight, leading to mismanagement of public funds,” he noted.
Rafsanjani expressed concern over the findings in the Auditor-General’s report, which revealed irregular payments totaling over ₦197.72 billion across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) between 2020 and 2021. He called these irregularities “examples of financial mismanagement.”
“These lapses in financial compliance and procurement processes show the urgent need for reforms to ensure public funds are used for their intended purposes. The National Assembly must act to recover misappropriated funds and hold those responsible accountable,” he said.
Rafsanjani also urged the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly to investigate these irregularities and enforce fiscal regulations. He called on members of the National Assembly to approach the 2025 budget process with integrity, especially amidst allegations of extortion and fraudulent budget insertions by legislators.
“The National Assembly must ensure the 2025 budget is credible and free from malpractice. Legislators must demonstrate their commitment to a budget that serves the people, not their personal interests,” he said.
He criticized parastatals that continue to receive statutory allocations without delivering results. “Parastatals must be held accountable for the funds they receive. Nigerians deserve a budget that reflects the President’s objectives, not one marred by scandals and project duplications,” Rafsanjani said.
As the nation prepares for the implementation of the 2025 budget, Rafsanjani called on anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the budget process closely. He urged these agencies to investigate fraudulent activities and enforce procurement laws to ensure the budget benefits the Nigerian people.
“The impact of this budget must be felt by Nigerians, not lost to fraud and padding. The budget should be a tool for national development, not for embezzlement,” he concluded.
