The Spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Alwan Hassan, has alleged that ministers are among the most corrupt officials in government, arguing that some focus on recovering the money they spend to secure appointments.
Hassan made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News, where he questioned the government’s ability to fund approved budgets and raised concerns about the management of public revenue.
He argued that the failure to adequately fund government budgets raised questions about the availability and allocation of public funds.
“You have not been able to successfully fund your budget,” Hassan said, questioning where the money required to implement the budget would come from.
He also criticised the role of ministers in managing public resources, suggesting that their involvement in government expenditure had not produced the desired results.
“Every time a government goes out, the most criminal elements in government are ministers,” he said.
Hassan further alleged that some ministers who spend large sums to secure appointments subsequently focus on recovering their investments rather than serving the public interest.
“Ministers pay billions and billions to get appointed, and then they think of recouping that money,” he said.
The APC campaign spokesman maintained that concerns about corruption among ministers were not limited to one political party or administration.
According to him, ministers have featured prominently among officials accused of fraud after successive governments leave office.
Hassan also questioned the need for ministers if government officials responsible for managing expenditure were unable to ensure that approved budgets were adequately funded.
“Why do we need ministers? Why do we need budget to be given to ministers?” he asked.
He described the approach of President Bola Tinubu ‘Asiwaju” to managing government revenue as commendable, praising what he characterised as close attention to public expenditure.
“The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic and I love it,” Hassan said.
He described the approach as a deliberate policy, arguing that approving budgets without providing the necessary funds undermined their implementation.