The House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions on Wednesday queried the Acting Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Services, Sylvester Nwakuche, over how the agency utilised the N12.5 billion interventions funds it received in 2024.
The committee while grilling the controller when he appeared before the committee for the defence of the agency’s 2025 budget, demanded that he furnish it with details of the projects, the contractors and locations where the funds were expended.
The CG had informed the committee that the service received two tranches of intervention funds in 2024 comprising N1.5 billion and another N11 billion.
He said the funds were spent on concrete fencing of custodial centres, remodeling of the Kuje Custodial Centre and other projects.
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But a member of the committee, Afam Ogene queried why the correctional service went on spending the intervention funds without seeking approval from the National Assembly, demanding that details of the utilisations of the funds be made available to the committee.
The committee also demanded the CG to furnish it with documents in respect of all transactions and contractors involved feeding rations for inmates from January 2024, till date.
Earlier, the CG made a budget presentation of N183.6 billion for 2025 fiscal year for consideration and approval.
The breakdown of the budget includes N124.3 billion for personnel; N13.4 billion for capital expenditures; N45.8 billion for overheads; N38.03 billion for feeding of inmates and N7.7 billion for service overhead.
The CG who described the N13.4 billion capital budget earmarked for the service as inadequate, appealed to the lawmakers to increase the capital expenditure to N70.4 billion.
He said the proposed N70.4 billion capital expenditures if approved will be expended on the installation of modern technology-integrated systems for custodial facilities such as CCTVs, surveillance cameras and accessories in the maximum and minimum security custodial centres nationwide.
“The service will also embark on the general rehabilitation and digitalisation of inmates and personnel activities in the custodial centres nationwide; upgrading and equipping of the service’s seven training institutions for the modern ICT-compliant training centres; purchase of operational vehicles, arms and ammunition; inmate biometric scanners, security gadgets, body cameras, access control and guard tower systems and staff communication gadgets, such as walking talkies”, he said.
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