The revelation made by civic organisation and budget tracer BudgIT set the social media application ablaze, as many demanded to know the whereabouts of the payments and accused the current administration, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, of failing in its fight against corruption.
The Nigerian government launched the portal in December 2019, as parts of move towards increasing transparency in government spending.
The portal aims to provide a comprehensive space for the collation of data by all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) on budget implementation, financial records, as well as transactions above certain thresholds.
At a zoom-enabled press briefing recently, co-founder of the group, Seun Onigbinde, identified loopholes and the need for improvement of the system.
A subsequent press statement signed by Communications Lead at BudgIT, Damilola Ogundipe, noted that although the platform is innovative and commendable, much work is still needed for the platform to fully achieve its goal of enabling public transparency and accountability.
The press release via Twitter, titled “OpenTreasury.gov.ng: Nigeria’s Spending Platform: Review, Gaps & Recommendations”, analysed data uploaded on the portal from September 2018 to May 2020.
To conduct the analysis, the group said it collated and analysed over 100,000 payment entries from over 600 distinct spreadsheets.
According to BudgIT, between January and July 2019, BudgiT said it discovered that large sums were paid into personal accounts, including several records with vague descriptions.
“Over 2,900 payments to individuals were recorded at an aggregate value of ₦51 billion.
“A few examples include, ₦2.04 billion, ₦2.04 billion and ₦1 billion paid into personal accounts on the 21st of June 2019 without any payment description along with another ₦68 million payment for ‘Ogunsuyi’ and ₦15.8 million for ‘international’ on other dates.
“In the same 2019, we also discovered payment records without descriptions or beneficiary information. At least 5,000 payment records valued at ₦278 billion were without descriptions and 275 payment records with a value of ₦43 billion were without beneficiary name.
“These inconspicuous payments cannot be assessed or traced by citizens and interested parties, thereby defeating the purpose of the platform to foster transparency.”
A citizen, @mykametu, wrote: “I have been saying it that this administration is the most corrupt government in the history of Nigeria. They borrow to loot, they are relooting Abacha loot, they loot & set sensitive offices on fire, Snakes & Monkeys are looting under them. They want to liquidate the country.”
Another user, @BUCHIPETERS3, seemingly in defense of the Federal Government and criticising @mykametu, wrote: “a govt that open a portal so that citizen will know how govt funds moves around is the most corrupt WONDERS SHALL NEVER END.”
@Mike_teyus, countered with: “Bottom line,they “stole” and are “corrupt”. It doesn’t matter if they facilitated the means of it’s discovery.”
@von_BIsmack wrote: “The roof is about to fall. Flat. Corruption have won over Buhari’s administration”.
@RealThunderClap accused the president of being complicit. “@MBuhari is fighting curruption with MEGA corruption”.
@HAKINTORLAR wrote: “Fighting corruption does not automatically means corruption will stop….”
@Jugo_kc came for @HAKINTORLAR, writing “Corruption defender. Van dijk”, with @Jack1Morrison supporting. “Asin eh!! So shameless about it. Sometimes you wonder if people are being paid to write nonsense.”
But @HAKINTORLAR was not done. “Not nonsense, you just need to work on ur understanding. So, because Buhari is fighting corruption now, corruption practices will just vanished in public services…. haba think now.”
The focus shifted to him, as @Fiolashad, came on, asking “Really funny o, what do you really mean??”, as “Jugo_kc continued the onslaught with “Oga give us example of corruption fight by this buhari’s administration? I’m waiting….” But @HAKINTORLAR stood his ground, with the come-back “It’s very difficult to wake someone who’s pretending to be asleep….”, finishing with “I won’t dignify any of you with response again…. I have said what I want to say… let the crying continue”, after @Fiolashad responded with “You need help… SMH”.
@elay55 could not help his regret and called on the FG to stop what he called ‘waste’. “It’s clear that there isnt line by line review of our budget, why, it beats me but the waste is obvious. Give @TrackaNG a fee based deal 1% of savings with a max cap of 100m in fees yearly. Ditch the min who shud be doing it and I can bet u they deliver 1.5 trillion in savings.”
@Oluomoofderby weighed in with: “I thought Buhari said we’re fighting corruption in Nigeria. This man don do us wayo o #ProMaxYahooPlus. It shall never be well with our leaders in Nigeria”, with JackDP5 asking “Is fighting kwaruption same as fighting corruption? Shm… Governments been run by wrong hands and rubber stamps institutions”.
@AdisaOluwakayo5 had some advice. “Start the probe from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs”.
@Nelly21417 had no kind words for the ruling party. “APC – ArmedRobbery Party of Corruption,” he called them.
It was unclear who @fash360degree was talking to but he went: “Oridotas.. so u forgot the system was created to catch ya gbewiri family members in govt establishments just like IPPIS bringn out those in our universities etc. Since many senses have burnt coils, they are rushing to blackmail Buhari. Wait for list of ya Bros & Sis going to jail”.
@MrBosunOmoniyi advocated for an open system. “The only antidote to corruption in Nigeria public sector is Open up the Books”, while @nonyem backed him up with “the only antidote to corruption is Federalism, Resources Control, a smaller limited FG with the Federating Units as economic anchors & Govt run on people’s taxes.The 1999 Constitution & the unitary structure breed nothing but corruption because they are corruption personified.”
Popular handle @ifechideere tweeted: “They don’t even make effort to conceal corruption. That’s how low we have sunk,” with @henrys_handle backing up with “We have see ourselves as complicit in their dealings as long as we remain complacent”.
@MaziC_C weighed in with a criticism of the president and his cohorts. “Buhari’s ‘trusted men of integrity’ transfering billions of public funds into their personal accounts with impunity. Bunch of crooks.”
@Buzywon was resigned. “Some of this figures don’t move us anymore, we live in a lawless country.”
@vic_MLS was shocked. “Imagine N51bn going to personal accounts of the so called elected leaders. Ahh ahh, una no rate us oh.”
A visibly irked @mydeji247 opted for an abuse in the Yoruba Languagae. “Awon ole jati-jati. Thieves.”
@Simply_Sanusi lamented “They have finished this country”, @alonika concurred with “My brother…. You dey see am….” and @Simply_Sanusi, resigned, added “My brother I don’t know what to say again. These people are looting with reckless abandoned. God dey sha.”
“What are we going to about it?” asked @fizzylalata and, to that @Simply_Sanusi replied “Mobilize, educate and vote!”
A disturbed @rotrfyoung was aghast. “Oh may God. To think we are taking loans to finance these deep pockets is disheartening. You know what’s more heart breaking? Nothing is going to happen! This is just for history purposes”, while @Dabia_Smyth tweeted “It’s no news that funds are been looted, but it’s good we have evidence from another realm other than what is given to the 4th estate to feed us.”
@edoyakulo opined: “At least good that the open treasury portal is confirmed operational. Now can issues be traced to specific people for the purpose accountability and consequence?”
@fash360degree repeated his initial position. “Oridotas…so u forgot the system was created to catch ya gbewiri family members in govt establishments just like IPPIS bringn out those in our universities etc. Since many senses have burnt coils, they are rushing to blackmail Buhari. Wait for list of ya Bros & Sis going to jail,” to which @Dorthmaen replied “Exactly! And if one checks well, d open treasury thing was ordered in December. @BudgITng’s letter referenced more of Jan to July. An indication these anomalies had been carried out before the platform was created and its mainly now that it’s created, civil servants are careful.”
@iamSwaga01 asserted that the ruling party will sell the country. “APC will sell this country lass lass…. and they will be shouting about how GEJ and Atiku were corrupt and co,” to which @KabuchiMichaels replied “Dem do sell am since .. Na just the receipts we Dey see so” and @baba_stain could not help but agree that “Na the corruption them Dey fight be this”.
@Bodunrin3 called out pro-Buharists, asking “Where are those people that were staning Buhari? Where are all them Buharists?? Come and explain this for is mbok?”
WhizzarD lamented that it was “Such a shame, we have thieves in power…. CRIMINALS,” while @slkie said with finality “They will close that portal”.
As has become the norm, Nigerians have taken to social media to voice their angst but the question remains: ‘what will be done about it?’ Will the people who withdrew the money be traced? What will be done to them and will their names ever be released?
In its statement, BudgIT advised the government over a number of things.
“For the Open Treasury portal to fully achieve its ambitious and worthy purpose of increasing public financing transparency and consequently improve accountability, it needs to be as easy to use and comprehend by citizens and interested parties, and each of the above questions need to be addressed.” Ojiugo Uche, Research Lead at BudgIT, said.
BudgIT also called on the government to promptly rectify the highlighted fault lines of the portal.
“We also call for standardisation of the portal such that it will be impossible to input incomplete or vague information,” the group said.
“It is also important to investigate payments into personal accounts on the portal, as this largely undermines the objective of creating the portal.”
