Public Affairs Analyst Jide Ojo has criticised the allocation of public funds for the renovation of churches, mosques and traditional rulers’ palaces, describing such spending as unjustifiable and a misuse of government resources.

Speaking in an interview with ARISE News in Thursday, Ojo said the issue was not merely whether the government could account for the funds, but whether such allocations should be included in the national budget at all.

“It’s a slush fund and it should not have found its way into our budget in the first place.”

Ojo questioned the rationale behind placing funds for religious renovations under government ministries and agencies whose statutory mandates do not include such activities.

“Imagine in a ministry of agriculture, you are putting money for renovation of mosque. In a ministry of water resources, you are putting money for renovation of churches.”

He stated that the funds would be better directed towards critical public needs, including healthcare, education and infrastructure.

“That kind of funds should be used to upgrade our health facilities, to upgrade our schools, to even provide the roads and other forms of infrastructure.”

Ojo also questioned the fairness of allocating public funds to Christian and Muslim religious centres while excluding traditional religious worshippers.

“But whether it’s shrines, mosque or church, it should not find its way into our budget.”

He emphasized that religious organisations and communities should fund the renovation of their own places of worship, while communities should take responsibility for renovating the palaces of their traditional rulers.

“If people in the community miss the innovation of their traditional rulers’ palaces, let them do a fundraising, let them do crowdfunding.”

Ojo called for the removal of such allocations from the 2027 budget, insisting that public resources should not be used to fund what he described as private religious and community obligations.

“President Obama must ensure that that budget is clean of anything that has to do with innovation of palaces of traditional rulers or innovation of churches and worship centres. It is a private obligation.” (Arise News)