EVALUATION OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET AND RELEASES FOR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE IN NIGERIA (1999-2014)

Alamu, Bosede Florence¹& Alamu, Elijah.O.²

Department of Quantity Surveying¹

Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics²

Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State

ABSTRACT

The issue of Budget allocation to road networks in Nigeria remains very volatile and constitutes a major source of political and government tension. On another hand, a major driver of economic growth and development has been declined to be effective road transport system. Given the appalling state of many roads across the geo political zones in Nigeria, understanding government decision viz-a-viz allocation to roads becomes imperative. This study analysed the trend in government budget and spending on road infrastructure between 1999 and 2014. The study also evaluated the effectiveness of government spending on the quality and quantity of Nigerian Federal Roads.  Data on government budget and spending on Federal Road construction and rehabilitation for the period 1999 to 2014 was collected from the Federal Ministry of Works and analysed. A deviation between budget estimates and spending was also calculated to evaluate the budget process. Results were thereafter presented in tables and analysed using simple statistical parameters (frequencies and percentages). Findings revealed that the total government budget as well as total actual spending on federal roads from 1999 to 2014 is erratic and persistently under released ranging from -0.79% to -59.13% deviation while average under releases is -19.47% deviation and the total under released amounts to 215.9 billion Naira from 1999 to 2014 the study discovered that the Federal government spends less than its allocations in the annual budgets for Road within the study period. The study therefore concluded that inefficiencies in government budget allocation and spending affects efficiency in output and effectiveness of outcomes which are more likely to increase project cost and further risk of abandonment of projects. The study further recommends an improvement in the budget process by specifying the spending plans for road infrastructure projects and budget discipline in fund releases.

Keypoints: Budget, Releases, Allocation, Roads