| dc.description.abstract | Nigeria's internal security and emergency management systems face a dire funding crisis. Despite National Assembly approvals of ₦482 billion in capital allocations for the Ministry of Interior in 2024 and 2025, Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo confirmed zero releases, resulting in 0% project performance and halting infrastructure upgrades for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Federal Fire Service. These delays intensify urban fire outbreaks, prison overcrowding, feeble emergency responses, and vulnerable civil defence capabilities, fueling insecurity, economic losses, rural-urban safety gaps, and declining public trust in government. To mitigate this, the following recommendations are proposed for the National Assembly, through the Senate and House Committees on Interior, Finance, Appropriation, and Public Accounts, among others:
o Prioritize Project Completions: Direct funding to ongoing projects exceeding 50% completion to avert cost overruns and maximize impact across NIS, NCOS, NSCDC, and Federal Fire Service.
o Enforce Phased Funding Releases: Legislate quarterly benchmarks mandating measurable disbursement targets, with penalties for non-compliance.
o Mandate Transparent Reporting: Require public quarterly disclosures on project-specific fund releases, execution rates, and performance metrics.
o Condition Future Appropriations: Link subsequent budget approvals to verified compliance audits of prior releases.
o Launch Oversight Inspections: Authorize targeted National Assembly visits to stalled sites, including border posts, fire stations, prisons, and civil defence facilities.
o Enact Binding Release Timetables: Impose statutory quarterly schedules aligned with cash flow plans, enforceable by the Joint Committees on Interior and Finance. | en_US |
