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President Bola Tinubu government’s decision to dole out N8.05 billion for the construction and renovation of mosques for Muslims and churches for Christians across the country has stirred sharp criticisms.
While some see the move as trivializing the socio-economic and security challenges that have enveloped the country, others see it as a political tool to win the people’s support ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
There are others who believe the government is being insensitive to the yearnings of millions of Nigerians, who are traditional worshippers and those who belong to other faiths, as well as a few atheists.
The first to fire the salvo is the former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku lamented that while millions of Nigerians were grappling with crushing poverty, the Federal Government was earmarking N8.05 billion for religious related projects.
He made reference to an analysis by a public accountability organisation, Tracka, saying that about N1.91 billion had been allocated to church-related projects and N6.14 billion to mosque-related projects.
Atiku noted that while faith occupies a sacred place in national life, it must never become a sanctuary for opaque budgeting or questionable public expenditure.
“Under the Nigerian law, religious bodies generally operate as Incorporated Trustees with distinct legal identities. If public funds are appropriated for projects involving such bodies, Nigerians have a right to know exactly which churches, which mosques and in which communities those projects will be executed.
“Unlike roads, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure that are ordinarily identified by location and beneficiary, these allocations reportedly fail to identify many of the specific beneficiary churches and mosques.
