Civil Society Groups Slam FG’s N712b Airport Project as Wasteful, Ill-Priority
By Ekemini Simon
A coalition of civil society organizations has condemned the Federal Government’s decision to allocate N712 billion for the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and modernisation of Terminal One of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, describing it as excessive and a misplacement of national priorities.
The groups argue that the project does not align with the country’s pressing needs, such as healthcare, education, and poverty reduction, and that the funds could be better utilized to address the economic struggles of millions of Nigerians.
According to the groups, the project’s cost is close to the annual budgets for key sectors like healthcare and agriculture, which should serve the welfare of Nigerians. They also question the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, given the lack of deliberation at the National Assembly and the opaque nature of the project.
“We are concerned that the quantum of funds being devoted to the project is excessive, circumvents due process, and can hardly be justified in the context of daily economic struggles of the vast majority of ordinary Nigerians,” said the coalition.
The groups believe that the government’s decision to allocate such a massive amount to the airport project is at variance with its posturing on removing fuel subsidy to curb waste and fraud. They argue that plunging Nigerians into economic woes through total subsidy removal without adequate safety nets, only to deploy the funds realized to opaque and corruption-prone projects, is deceptive.
The coalition demands that the government redirect the proposed N712 billion towards more urgent and critical grassroots infrastructure projects, such as rural feeder roads, cottage industries, healthcare, education, and poverty reduction.
The Coalition said “We urge the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government to immediately declare the actual savings made from fuel subsidy removal and allocate them towards impactful projects benefiting the majority of impoverished Nigerians”.
The groups call on Nigerians to join them in rejecting this wasteful spending and demanding accountability from their leaders, prioritizing the well-being of citizens over grandiose projects.
The coalition includes organisations like the Socio Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Development Awareness (CESDA), Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation (GRACO), Gee Foundation for Social Justice and Development, 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth & Women Initiative (CEYWI), Nurturelife Initiative for Health & Empowerment, and Civic Spaces Initiative (aka RILDEV).
The groups believe that the government’s priorities are misplaced, and that the N712 billion could be better utilised to address the country’s pressing needs.
The coalition’s demands are clear: reallocate the N712 billion towards more urgent and critical grassroots infrastructure projects, and declare the actual savings made from fuel subsidy removal.