FG Monetises N.28b Vehicle Allowance for Obasanjo, Jonathan, IBB, Others

The Nigerian Government have approved the sum of N280.1m cash payments to former Presidents and Heads of State in 2017 to buy cars.

Former Nigeria presidents

 

The President Muhamamdu Buhari-led Federal Government, in 2017, paid out a sum of N40 million in lieu of purchase of vehicles for former Heads of State and presidents, it has emerged.

 

According to the financial report submitted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, to the House of Representatives Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs, the sum of N40 million was monetised out of total sum of N210 million proposed for procurement of vehicles for seven former presidents and Heads of State in the 2017 budget.

 

Mustapha appeared before the committee as part of the 2017/2018 budget defence for the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

 

The beneficiaries included: former presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Olusegun Obasanjo, Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

 

Aside from the N170 million yet to be disbursed to the beneficiaries, an additional N96 million was proposed for procurement of vehicles in the 2018 budget estimates for the select group.

 

In the case of former Vice-Presidents, such as former Vice Presidents Namadi Sambo, Atiku Abubakar, the total sum of N210 million was proposed for procurement of vehicles for them, with the sum of N120.090 million released in 2017.

 

This is as a balance of N90 million was proposed under the same sub-head in 2018 budget estimate submitted to the National Assembly.

 

The proposed procurement were part of the N2.492 billion and N2.492 billion capital expenditure for 2017 and 2018 respectively.

 

While reacting to the presentation, the lawmakers queried the proposed N18.360 million for purchase of 27 laptop computer (Mac Book) in 2018, the N,995,190,118 allocated for the purchase of security equipment, N64 million for purchase of monitoring trucks, N316 million for purchase of motor vehicles; N124 million for four 18-seater buses and two 30- seater buses.

 

Mustapha also explained that the MacBook computers are to be used in the Council Chamber as the Federal Government seeks to improve on e-compliance level.

 

The sum of N130 million was also proposed for procurement of two of Toyota Land Cruiser-Prado Jeeps, the sum of N65.551 million for ambulance and clinic equipment, while the sum of N170 million was proposed for Independence/Democracy Day celebrations, for 2018.

 

‎Other proposed expenditure for 2018 include: N1.734 billion for political appointees, N760.277 million for honorarium and sitting allowance, N133.421 million for welfare packages, N88.65 million for purchase of office furniture and fittings, N18.36 million for purchase of computers and N456.64 million for computer software acquisition.