Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike alleged during the commissioning of the Kwali road in Abuja that the project cost 7 billion naira.
He went on saying that despite an allocated budget of only N100 million, indicating a significant shortfall.
He further explained that the shortfall suggests a lack of genuine intent to execute the project.
When advised to proceed with procurement under these conditions, he refused, labeling such action as criminal.
His refusal was rooted in ethical considerations and concerns about the potential legal repercussions of undertaking a project without adequate funding.
In Nyesom Wike's words in a video (3:53), he 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."