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By Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, January 16.26
NIGERIA’S budget chiefs have hit back at “misleading” claims that a massive ₦246 billion (£110m) pot for the North East Development Commission (NEDC) is being blown entirely on fat-cat salaries.
In a stinging rebuke issued from Abuja,
Budget Director General Tanimu Yakubu rubbished the reports, branding them a “fundamental misunderstanding” of how the country’s finances actually work.
Critics had sounded the alarm after spotting the eye-watering figure under the “Personnel Cost” column, fearing the cash meant for rebuilding war-torn regions was being diverted into pockets rather than projects.
The ‘Placeholder’ Plot
But Mr Yakubu insists the ₦246.77bn figure is merely a technical placeholder used during the budget-building process.
He explained that when agencies haven’t finished their internal math, the total sum is often lumped under one heading until the final paperwork is filed.
”This technical presentation must not be confused with spending intent,” Mr Yakubu warned.
“Selective reading is not analysis—it is a distortion.”
Boots on the Ground
The Budget Office also clarified that the Commission isn’t just a “talking shop.”
The money funds the “institutional capacity” needed to rebuild the North East, including:
Engineers and Project Managers to oversee reconstruction.
Food Security initiatives and agricultural support.
Orphanages and IDP Camps for those displaced by conflict.
Boreholes and Security Logistics for local communities.
Addressing claims that only a measly ₦2.7bn was set aside for capital projects, officials revealed that 70 per cent of the development budget has actually been “rolled over” into the 2026 fiscal year to ensure projects are finished properly.
‘Weaponised Ignorance’
In a final shot at the critics, the Director General urged the public to stop “weaponising” the budget process.
“The claim that the NEDC exists merely to pay salaries is unfounded,” he said, insisting that every penny remains under the watchful eye of the National Assembly and statutory auditors.
