2024 Budget: ‘SMEDAN Allocates ₦5 Billion To Buy Vehicles For Traditional Rulers’

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has allocated ₦5 billion for procurement of vehicles for selected traditional rulers in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

This was disclosed on Monday, in a statement by Tracka, a subsidiary of BudgIT, a non-governmental organization tracking government expenditures and project implementation.

Tracka said over 2,558 projects worth ₦624 billion ( Six hundred and Twenty-four billion naira ) projects were allocated to agencies outside their mandate in the 2024 FG Budget.

“The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) allocated N5 billion for the ‘procurement and distribution of official vehicles to selected traditional rulers in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria’, Tracka said in a statement.

Our reporter also found out in Tracka’s report that SMEDAN – an agency of the federal government charged with fostering growth and development of Nano, Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises across Nigeria – allocated ₦1.2 billion for the purchase of operational vehicles for security purposes across Oyo State, Ogun State, Lagos State, Ekiti State, Ondo State and Osun State.

The sum of ₦496 million was allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads in Urua Ibaya Market, Ikot Inyang, Afang Obong, in Akwa-Ibom State.

SMEDAN also allocated ₦300 million for the construction of Female Ward in General Hospital in Zauro, in Kebbi State.