President Bola Tinubu’s administration allocated the sum of N1,562,963,259 billion to the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) in the 2024 Fiscal Appropriation Act, to construct Very Important Person (VIP) toilets, distribute tricycles, popularly known as Keke Napep, motorcycles, and sewing machines in Ebonyi, Niger and Akwa Ibom states.
The Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research is an institute owned and run by the Nigerian government, which is charged with the responsibility to conduct research into the resources and physical characteristics of the Nigerian territorial waters and the high seas.
The institute’s specific mandates include: Genetic improvement of marine and brackish water living resources in Nigeria bracket and marina waters; studies of abundance, distribution and biology of aquatic resources in Nigeria brackish and marine waters; establishment of the physical and chemical characteristics of Nigeria territorial waters; structure, geomorphology and topography of the sea bed, and deposits on or under the sea bed.
Others are climate change studies; determination of the effects of pollution of Nigerian; coastal waters and its prevention; extension Research and Liaison services in areas of her mandate, and an extended non-research function to provide vocational training in Fisheries, Oceanography and Aquaculture.
Established in November 1975 by the Research Institutes’ Establishment Order 1975, with its headquarters located at the Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos State, the institute operates under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
“Aspiration as a national Fisheries and Oceanography centre of excellence using dedicated, world-class scientists to collect, analyze and provide scientific data and information for the development of scientific products necessary for the sustainability utilization and management of Nigeria’s aquatic marine resources, coastal and ocean environment for the benefit of our national global community at large,” the institute said in its mission statement.
However, SaharaReporters’ analysis of the approved 2024 budget revealed that there were a lot of funds allocated to the institute for projects outside its constitutional mandate, and its vision and mission.
The analysis revealed that Tinubu’s administration allocated the sum of N1 billion for the “construction of model VIP toilets in 11 wards of Edda Local Government Area,” and the “construction of model VIP toilets in the 12 wards of Afikpo Local Government Area,” of Ebonyi State.
Also, the sum of N200 million was budgeted under the institute for the “supply of motorcycle machines, sewing machines and grinding machines in Ezra North/Ishielu federal constituency, Ebonyi State.”
The sum of N75 million was allocated to the institute for the “supply of motorcycle machines, sewing machines and grinding machines in Chanchaga federal constituency, Niger State,” while another N40 million was budgeted for the “supply of tricycle and motorcycle to some selected individuals in Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
Funds were also allocated to the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research for a project outside its constitutional mandates. The sum of N247,963,259 was budgeted for the “construction of recreational centres in Idu-Uruan, Uruan Local Government Area,” of Akwa Ibom State.
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