The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, claimed during the inauguration of the Kwali road in Abuja that while the project's cost is 7 billion naira, the allocated budget was a mere 100 million naira.
In a video posted by Channels Television on their YouTube channel, he emphasised that this substantial budget discrepancy underscores a lack of sincere intention to complete the project.
In his address, Wike underscored the financial disparity, stating that the substantial gap between the project cost and the budget allocation signals a clear lack of commitment to seeing the project through to completion.
He remarked that this financial shortfall essentially renders the execution of the project impractical under the current budgetary provisions.
Wike detailed his decision-making process regarding the project, highlighting that he was advised to move forward with procurement despite the insufficient budget.
He firmly rejected this advice, labelling such actions as unethical and potentially criminal. According to Wike, proceeding with procurement in these circumstances would have been irresponsible and would have likely led to legal consequences.
He elaborated on the ethical considerations that influenced his decision.
Wike stressed that embarking on a project with inadequate funding not only compromises the project's viability but also poses significant ethical dilemmas.
He pointed out that initiating procurement for a project that cannot be properly financed is not only unprofessional but also morally questionable.
Wike said, "Part of the problems that we are having in our system is the budget and the cost of the project. If the cost of the project is not enough, the work cannot be completed. The cost of this project is N7 billion, and what was provided to us in the budget was N100 million.
"I said, look, it means that we don't really want to do the project. And when they said we should proceed with the procurement, I refused, saying I would not engage in that kind of procurement.
"It's a criminal offense. You will make the people hate the government when the road is not completed. Nothing can be more painful than when the government makes a promise to the people and cannot fulfil that promise."
Watch the interview video here (start from 3:52).