Public affairs commentator Shehu questions FG budget after Onanuga remarks
Public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu said on Thursday that remarks by Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga confirm concerns that some federal ministries are operating without their full budget allocations, potentially forcing ministers to use personal funds to run their offices. Shehu argued this raises serious questions about where approved budgetary funds, revenues, loans, and grants have gone over the past three years, and which account Nigerians should trust regarding ministry funding. This issue affects all Nigerians as it pertains to how public money is managed and whether essential services receive adequate funding.
He warned that if ministers are indeed using personal money to cover shortfalls, it undermines the appropriation process and calls for greater transparency in government revenue management and budget implementation. The comments follow Onanuga’s defense of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms during an Arise Television interview.
Citizens should demand clear explanations from the government on budget releases and expenditure, consult official budget documents and audit reports, and follow updates from anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC to ensure accountability in public finance.