Bello El-Rufai, a federal lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has called out Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for their refusal to curtail wasteful spending. He accused them of misusing public funds on non-essential items, such as utensils and vehicles.
In a viral video shared by PUNCH Online on Friday, Bello, the son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, urged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to take decisive steps to reduce the budgets of MDAs. He emphasized that Nigerians are increasingly frustrated with the government’s rising expenditure.
“Nigerians are tired of agencies purchasing forks and knives every year. We need to demonstrate seriousness by making drastic budget cuts,” he stated.
El-Rufai highlighted recurring expenditure issues in the budget process, noting the yearly allocation for items like vehicles and utensils, which he argued are unnecessary. “If vehicles were bought last year, they should not be included again because vehicles do not expire,” he said.
He also criticized the repetitive allocation for items such as computers and furniture, which, according to him, should not require annual replacements.
“These are minor issues, Mr. Speaker, but failing to address them allows financial loopholes to persist,” El-Rufai added.
He stressed the need for fiscal discipline among government leaders, arguing that curbing unnecessary expenses would restore public trust and complement efforts to implement tax reforms aimed at strengthening the nation’s fiscal position.
