Group Tracks Public Funds, Assesses FG, Kogi Projects

A group, Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN), has commenced a nationwide project assessment tour to track public funds utilisation, verify government projects and provide Nigerians with factual information on the extent of execution.

The national secretary of the group, Felix Arome, disclosed this during the inspection of federal and Kogi State government projects. He said the exercise was aimed at promoting transparency and addressing misinformation about government activities.

Arome said members of the organisation visited project sites to independently assess the level of work and engage with communities benefitting from them.

He said the tour was not politically motivated but designed to give Nigerians a clearer picture of how public resources were being deployed.

“We are here to provide Nigerians with accurate information. This is about transparency, accountability and ensuring that people understand what the government is doing with public funds,” Arome said.

According to him, the team was also distinguishing between projects executed by the Federal Government, state governments, development partners and non-governmental organisations.

RTIFN said the increase in monthly allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), following President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal reforms, had given states more resources to invest in infrastructure and public services.

The group linked the improved financial capacity of states to reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate adjustments, noting that the policies had created opportunities for more investments.

Arome explained that the project verification exercise was part of RTIFN’s continuous assessment of government performance.

He dismissed concerns that the inspection was connected to the approaching election season, describing it as a routine evaluation process.

“Just like when we are in school, you don’t write exams at the beginning of the term. You write continuous assessments in between. Government is a continuum, and you must always do assessments,” he said.

During the inspection, the team visited the Kogi State Cargo Airport, which Arome described as a strategic project capable of boosting trade, transportation and economic activities in the state.

He acknowledged that some Nigerians expected faster completion of the facility but explained that the technical nature of a cargo airport required careful construction.

“From the pace of work we have seen so far, in the next two to three years, the airport should be a done deal. This is not just an ordinary airport; it’s a cargo airport. The runway is not your regular passenger runway,” he said.

The RTIFN delegation also highlighted the impact of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying the student loan initiative had expanded access to tertiary education for many Nigerian youths.

A beneficiary, Emmanuel Augustine, a Nursing Science student, praised the programme, saying it had provided hope for students who previously struggled to finance their education.

“Some students do not get the opportunity to further their education because of lack of funds. But the NELFUND loan initiative has brought hope to universities across Nigeria,” Augustine said.

RTIFN commended Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for complementing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda through infrastructure projects across the state.

The organisation said it would continue the nationwide assessment tour as part of efforts to promote accountability, verify government interventions and keep Nigerians informed.