THE Ministry of Works has proposed a staggering N12 billion for legal fees and judgment debt in 2025. The ministry, headed by 61-year-old former Governor David Umahi, will spend N5 billion on legal fees, N5 billion in settlement of judgment debt and another N2 billion to procure vehicles for the minister’s senior special assistant.
It proposed an additional N670 million to buy computer software and consumables for the ministry’s headquarters and 37 field offices, while professional development of staff at the ministry would take N800 million
Another N18 million is set aside for computer-aided equipment and software for the electrical services department. The ministry, which intends to execute about N1.07 trillion projects in 2025, plans to spend N10 million on maintaining air conditioning systems and refrigerators at its Kaduna zonal office.
Meanwhile, N300 million is allocated for the procurement of utility vehicles for the Human Resources Department, and N150 million will be spent on vehicles for monitoring zonal divisions and streetlight services.
While N60 million will be spent on lifts at the ministry’s engineering block in Abuja, the repair of water tanks at the minister’s quarters will cost N10 million.
Fire safety and sports equipment was allocated N300 million, even as an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the ministry’s policies and projects is expected to cost N10.44 million. Furthermore, N550 million was allocated for mandatory quarterly monitoring and inspection of the ministry’s 37 field offices.
The ministry proposed to buy one Toyota Hilux (2024 model) vehicle for N55 million, proposed N311 million for digitalising filing and record management using Electronic Content Management (ECM) with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
It also allocated N16.3 million for the design, hosting and management of a Highways Road Access Management System (COHIMS) and N26.87 million for the development of a harmonised web portal with multi-language support to comply with the Presidential Ease of Doing Business directive.
Further N30.5 million will be used for deploying cloud connectivity and network infrastructure across the ministry’s 36 field offices and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It proposed the construction of classrooms and offices at the Electrical/Mechanical Engineering Training School in Kuje at N160 million. In addition, N50 million will be spent on the resuscitation of skill acquisition programmes at training schools in Abeokuta, Ijora and Kuje.
Umahi’s ministry equally allocated N46.2 million to upgrade its Internet and intranet applications, while N30.3 million is allocated for upgrading the Network Operations Centre with high-end server infrastructure.
For the acquisition of computer hardware, including antivirus solutions and multimedia software, N51.4 million was budgeted and another N30.68 million for developing network administrators in cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT) management.
It budgeted N75 million for assessment and mandatory monitoring of capital budget implementation and allocated N25.43 million for quarterly verification of revenue generation and remittances from field offices.
Monitoring and verification of road and bridge projects across the country would cost N30 million, while N4 million is set aside for procuring security documents for stock verification.
The proposed 2025 budget is being debated by the National Assembly, where its priorities and allocations are expected to generate significant public and legislative interest.