Works Ministry Defends N500m Skills and Equipment Allocation in 2026 Budget

The Federal Ministry of Works on Monday in Abuja explained the rationale behind a proposed expenditure of over N500 million captured in its 2026 Appropriation Bill, stating that the funds are earmarked for vocational training programmes and the provision of work tools and mobility equipment to artisans across several states.

The clarification followed public attention on the budget line, which includes allocations for training artisans and supplying items such as grinding machines, motorcycles, mini pick-up vans and shuttle buses, as reflected in documents published on the Budget Office website.

Providing details, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed, said the initiative is anchored on the ministry’s vocational training framework and long-standing collaboration with members of the National Assembly to address community-level needs.

“The Management and Engineering Services Directorate oversees this aspect of our operations. Each proposal varies based on the needs of different constituencies.

Members of the National Assembly, being closest to their communities, identify projects that address specific local priorities,” Ahmed explained.

He noted that the ministry operates a vocational training school where artisans are equipped with practical skills, adding that some of the budgetary provisions also target infrastructure within existing training institutions. As an example, Ahmed cited an N84 million allocation for the completion of a student hostel block at the Electrical/Mechanical Training School in Ijora.

According to the published budget breakdown, N35 million is proposed for the supply of grinding machines to women in Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency in the South-South, while another N35 million is set aside for training and empowering women in hairdressing, makeup and soap making in Mikang/Shandam/Quampan Federal Constituency of Plateau State.

In Gombe State’s Inyamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency, N70 million is allocated for the training and equipping of youths, women and retirees.

A similar amount is proposed for the supply of mini pick-up vans, shuttle buses and motorcycles to constituents in Abakaliki Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State.

Other proposals listed in the budget include youth sensitisation and empowerment programmes aimed at combating drug abuse in parts of Zamfara State, alongside additional empowerment initiatives spread across different geopolitical zones.

Ahmed stressed that the programmes are designed to go beyond infrastructure delivery by supporting skills acquisition, boosting livelihoods and promoting grassroots development nationwide, insisting that the allocations align with the ministry’s mandate to contribute to sustainable community empowerment.