How To Stop Budget Padding — Shehu Sani

Civil rights activist and politician Senator Shehu Sani has prescribed one of the ways to stop additional items from being added to budgets presented by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

In a post on social media X on Tuesday, Sani said, “The only way to stop budget padding is to make a law that prohibits Lawmakers from tempering with budgets presented by Ministries Departments and Agencies,” the senator’s tweet partly said.

He, however, quickly added, that he doubted if lawmakers would be willing to make laws to stop such acts, or that such a bill would be allowed to scale through.

“…but I don’t know who will make that law or how it can even pass the first reading,” he added.

His advice comes as the meeting of the Appropriations Committee with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Minister of Budget & Economic Planning and DG, Budget Office of the Federation, is set to be held on Tuesday, 7th January 2025.

The budget defence of Appropriations Sub-committees with relevant MDAs will also be held from Wednesday 8th – Wednesday 15th January 2025.

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Sani who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District from 2015 to 2019, was also quoted, urging Nigerians and the government at all levels, to appreciate and honour the freedom fighters who defended the country.

While speaking with Newsmen on Monday, Sani made the call when he visited the tombs of six deposed Emirs in Lokoja, who refused to bow down to British colonialists.

Sani, who was accompanied by his colleague, Comrade Suleiman Ahmed, admonished Nigerians and the government at all levels to appreciate freedom fighters who defended the country.

“Today, I am on the visit to the tombs of the Emirs from Northern Nigerians who were deposed by the British Colonialists and exiled to Lokoja where they died. Here, particularly, is the tomb of the late Emir of Kano, Mallam Aliyu Abdullahi (Maisango) who died in 1903.

“We have to appreciate the freedom fighters, those who stood in defence of our country. As a Pan-Africanist, someone who has been involved in the struggle for rights for freedom and justice, and someone who appreciates history a lot.

“I am here to appreciate this noble Emirs who stood in the defence of our country. This visit is to also send a clear message to Nigerians and to inspire others, that as we move forward as a country and as a people, we should also look backwards to appreciate those who fought and laid their lives and made sacrifices for us.

“Here, are Emirs who are lying down in their tombs; they were not deposed by their people but by the colonialists who came to enslave our people and take over our country and our resources. The Emirs that refused to bow down to colonialists, the ones who stood for freedom and defended our territorial land; we owe them a lot,” he said.

He reaffirmed his commitment to continue to appreciate and honour Nigeria’s freedom fighters.