Ministry staff condemns N1b spent on office renovation says it’s reckless

Staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) have vehemently condemned the one billion naira (N1B) alleged to have been spent on the renovation of the main minister's office and conference room, saying it was reckless and unpatriotic spending especially in this austere time when many projects that would add value to food security situation of the country are pending due to lack of fund.   

       

Many of the staff complained to Food Farm News that they cannot continue to keep quiet at the expense of the national food security when things are not going in the right direction especially the way fund are being spent without prioritizing for the purpose of meeting essential projects that could add value to the entire nation rather than individual minister whose tenure may be abruptly terminated.

 One of  them  who pleaded anonymity disclosed that there are presently lot of projects that the ministry ought to have embarked upon to improve food security that they could not due to the lack of funds as he lamented profusely what would have been the new thing in an office and conference room that would costs N1B for God sake. 

The source said it was unbelievable and unthinkable that a ministry at this point in time would embark on such unwarranted spending, when so many Nigerians are looking for what to eat coupled insecurity tension in the country

Another person who spoke on same ground said it was irresponsible to have spent such amount of money, saying it shows that he didn’t know why is in the office, adding that what productivity the innovation would bring to the ministry and food security most especially when the minister has just 2years in the office.

Food Farm News effort to confirm the amount spent through the finance department of the ministry did not yield any result as those that were supposed to give information seemed not ready to part with such, but one staff in the office who didn’t disclose his name but a ( Personal Assistant, Administration) directed us to the information unit where we are told to leave our telephone when all efforts to ascertain how much was spent from the director of procurement who was said to be attending a meeting were exhausted yesterday.

The director of information, Mr. Theodore Ogaziechi finally called around 5.30 pm yesterday to say that the figure we had was false, but he didn’t mention the correct figure to counter what we had just as he didn’t deny the renovations.