Bello El-Rufai, a federal lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has strongly criticised Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for their continuous refusal to reduce their budgets, accusing them of wasting public funds on frivolous items such as utensils and vehicles.
In a viral video obtained by PUNCH Online on Friday, December 20, El-Rufai, the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to prioritise budget reductions for MDAs.
He pointed out the growing concerns among Nigerians regarding the yearly increase in government spending.
“Nigerians are tired of every agency buying forks and knives every year; we should show them we are serious and make these drastic cuts,” El-Rufai said.
He emphasised the need to cut unnecessary costs and scrutinise budgets more closely.
He highlighted the recurrent expenditure issue in Nigeria’s yearly budgets, stating, “Even as a young person, I see that we budget for vehicles every year, utensils every year. Vehicles do not expire.”
He suggested that once an agency buys vehicles in a given year, they should refrain from purchasing new ones in subsequent years.
El-Rufai also called attention to the recurring expenditure on items like computers and furniture, which do not need to be replaced annually. He argued that such expenses should be eliminated to prevent wastage.
“Since I was a boy, every year’s budget includes new computers and furniture, yet these items do not expire. We should cut them out entirely,” he said.
El-Rufai stressed that cutting down on these wasteful expenditures would help address Nigeria’s fiscal challenges and restore public trust in government spending, particularly when it comes to implementing tax reforms to improve the nation’s financial position.
