A good number of Nigerians don’t believe in the annual estimates of income and expenditures presented by successive governments in Nigeria, and they have a good reason for holding this view.
One, the annual ritual that the budget has turned to is never implemented to the letter. Two, it is a known fact that MDA’s (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies) spend monies not captured in the appropriation act. Three, outrageous allocations are made even for non-existing projects. Four, only paltry sums get allocated for capital projects while recurrent expenditure often takes the lion share. Five, critical sectors of the economy often get only a passing look while non-vital sectors smile to the bank, to mention but a few.
However, handlers of President Muhammudu Buhari’s administration appear to have taken the bunkum a notch higher. In the 2022 budget estimates unveiled before National Assembly members recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria will be spending One Hundred and Four Billion Naira (N104, 000, 000, 000. 00) only to purchase, maintain, fuel and service power generating sets in 2022.
A further breakdown shows that Thirty Million, Sixty-Seven Thousand Naira (N30, 067, 000. 00) only to fuel Aso Rock power generating sets, A total of Sixty-Six Million and Forty-Nine Thousand Naira (N66, 049, 000. 00) only will be spent on the Aso Rock library, Thirty-Three Million, Two Thousand Naira (N33, 002, 000. 00) only for new books. To fight corruption within Aso Rock Villa, Buhari plans to spend Seven Million, Thirty-Four Thousand Naira (N7, 034, 000.00) only.
The significance of these figures is appreciated when juxtaposed with the fact that the country hopes to borrow Six Trillion, Twenty-Eight million Naira (N6.028, 000. 000. 00) only billion next year. Also, Aso Rock will expectedly gulp Five Billion, Six Million Naira (N5, 600, 000, 000. 00) only in renovation cost, while Twelve Billion, Five Hundred Million (N12, 500, 000, 000. 00) only will be spent on 10 presidential jets.
And if anyone is thinking that the outlandish estimates will not scale through the hurdle of National Assembly vetting, such individuals better think again. Senate President, Ahmad Lawan once told Nigerians that:
“I want to assure you that any request that comes from Mr President is a request that will make Nigeria a better place in terms of appointments or legislation and the Senate will act expeditiously to ensure that we play our part in the confirmation or passing of legislation appropriately.”
Case closed!
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