Going by reports from Punch newspaper, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters will spend the sum of N181.3m on "uniforms and other clothing" in 2014, according to the budget estimates submitted to the National Assembly by Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Please tell me, what are they wearing that costs so much? To put it in perspective, the ministry of justice is set to spend $1.15 Million on wears. And what in the world is "other clothing"?

I'm not sure what the 2013 budget was but I think this is a little too much.

This N181.3 million is a fraction of the total N4.7 billion allocated to the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters in the 2014 budget.

Here is a further breakdown of the budget. Feel free to question any part of it like the N371 allocated for "materials and supplies (general)."

The ministry is to spend the sum of N1.3bn on legal services in the New Year, while N1.4bn is allocated for consulting and professional services.

Travels, including local and foreign trips, formed a substantial part of the ministry’s proposed budget.

The sum of N362.6m has been budgeted for travels and transport (general).

Local travel and transport (training) and local travel and transport (others) will cost N76.7m and N142.3m, respectively.

In the same vein, international travel and transport (training), and international travel and transport (others), will cost N34.9m and N108.5m respectively.

The sum of N371.7m was budgeted for materials and supplies (general).

Also, the sum of N59.4m was set aside for foreign grants and contributions, as well as grants to foreign international organizations.

The proposed budget suggests that the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters intends to upgrade its security system as the purchase of security equipment as well as improvement of ministry security system would cost N40m, respectively.

The same N40m is equally budgeted for the rehabilitation and repair of office buildings, while the sum of N19.8m is provided for maintenance of office building and residential quarters.

Other sums allocated for maintenance works include N9.9m for maintenance of plants/generators; N27.7m for cleaning/fumigation services; and N59.1m for general maintenance of motor vehicle/transport equipment.

The proposed budget also reveals that the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters will spend the sum of N55.8m on fuel and lubricants.

Motor vehicle fuel will cost the sum of N24.7m, while plant/generator fuel costs the sum of N28.3m.

N7.8m is provided for refreshment and meals.

Also, the sum of N56.9m is earmarked for a baseline survey of justice institutions, while the sum of N16.5m is budgeted for ICT consulting.

The proposed budget further shows that the ministry budgets the sum of N37.2m for utilities (general).

Electricity charges will cost N31.5m, water rates 904,016, while sewerage charges will take the sum of N4.8m while the ministry will spend the sum of N14.6m on printing of security documents.

Source