CSO Queries ₦2bn ‘Land and Bush Clearing’ Allocation in 2025 Budget

A civil society organisation, MonITNG, has raised alarm over a ₦2 billion allocation in the 2025 Federal Budget for a land and bush clearing project under the Presidency.

The project, listed with the code ERGP1224383 and supervised by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), has been described by the CSO as vague, suspicious, and prone to abuse.

In a statement posted on X, MonITNG faulted the absence of key details, such as project location, scope, or beneficiaries, warning that such omissions make tracking and oversight impossible.

“How can citizens or oversight bodies monitor a project that has no specified site? Ambiguity of this nature opens the door for corruption and mismanagement,” the group stated.

The CSO acknowledged the importance of land clearing in agricultural development but insisted that allocating ₦2 billion without clarity undermines accountability. It suggested that the funds could be better channelled into providing tractors, building irrigation systems, constructing storage facilities, or improving rural access roads to directly benefit farmers.

MonITNG further argued that vague allocations exemplify budget padding, which leaves smallholder farmers supposed beneficiaries of agricultural interventions trapped in poverty and reliant on outdated practices.

“Budgets are meant to bridge government promises and citizens’ realities. That bridge collapses when allocations lack transparency and specificity. Nigerians deserve answers: Which states will benefit? How many hectares are involved? Who are the beneficiaries? What oversight framework is in place to ensure value for money?” the group queried.

The organisation called on the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allocation, stressing that “₦2 billion must deliver real agricultural value, not disappear under the guise of land and bush clearing.”