Buhari budgeted N18.1 billion for running the State House in 2016.
Jonathan budgeted N6.6 billion for running the State House in 2015 (an increase of N11.5 billion over Jonathan's 2015 budget )
Buhari budgeted N445.5 million for meals and refreshments in 2016.
Jonathan budgeted N526.86 million for meals and refreshments in 2015 (a decrease of N81.36 million from Jonathan's 2015 budget)
SOURCE: PREMIUM TIMES' comparative analysis of Buhari's 2016 budget
This to me looks like budgetary 419 and is certainly more of the same. Buhari is spending 11 billion Naira more than Jonathan on running the State House and only about N80 million less on food and entertainment! The math is simple; Buhari is still spending about N11.5 billion more than Jonathan budgeted for these two items in his 2015 budget. Instead of doing what he and the APC promised, which is to cut the cost of governance, they are actually increasing it with budgetary tricks. I thought we were in an era of change, of cutting waste aka cost of governance, and of austerity, especially since oil prices have fallen further since this government took over. Where the heck is the change, the break from the past?
Other scandalous highlights from Buhari's 2016 "budget of change":
N3.63 billion to purchase BMW cars for principal officers (no word on why and for what purpose the new luxury cars will be bought).
N767.7 million on "recreational activities" (is Aso Rock hosting a major world sport tournament?).
N326 million for "wildlife conservation" (is the president importing some exotic animal species from Asia and Siberia?).
Even in the face of these glaring numbers, I am sure that fanatical Buharists will find a way to spin and rationalize this scandalous budgetary excess, which continues and escalates the waste we condemned in Jonathan's administration.
I am sure they will tell us that the "context is different"; that unlike Jonathan, if Buhari is asking for these monies, they must be needed; that, given Buhari's popularity, his Aso Rock is likely to welcome more visitors than Jonathan's, visitors who have to be fed and entertained; and that unlike Jonathan's State House, which was an arena of laziness and revelry, Buhari's State House is peopled by workaholics whose work justifies the huge, multi-billion Naira running cost.
Diehard Buharists will come up with reasons that are more absurd than these but given how predictably ludicrous their excuses and rationalizations have become I thought I should preempt them a bit.
Ken,I actually don't have a problem with the feeding allowance; it seems like a lot of money, but if Buhari had competent communications staff they would explain that it is not just for feeding his family, but for state functions, professional chefs, outings, etc.By the way, IF you are looking for savings in the budget that is not the place to start really. It is not a serious budget, it looks like something Lai Muhammed dreamed up at a Point and Kill joint after several rounds of fresh fish peppersoup and cold bottles of Orijin!But wetin I know? I nor go school! SMH.- Ikhidehasn't the naira been falling this past year? to compare the budgets you might need to take that into account.
also, it might be a waste of time to look too closely to a president buying cars.
k
On 12/29/15 3:48 PM, 'Ikhide' via USA Africa Dialogue Series wrote:
"President Muhammadu Buhari will spend N18.1 billion in 2016 to run the State House, Nigeria's seat of power, an amount that is N11.5 billion more than what his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, spent in 2015.
The amount is also N5.9 billion more than what Mr. Jonathan spent in 2014 on the State House, details of the 2016 budget seen by PREMIUM TIMES show.
Mr. Buhari will, however, reduce the cost of feeding for the first and second families, when compared to what the Jonathan administration spent in previous years.
Mr. Buhari presented a N6.08 trillion budget to the National Assembly last week, promising more jobs, economic growth and a cut-down on frivolous spending.
But details of the budget show that the State House will cumulatively receive N18.1 billion in 2016.
In 2014, Mr. Jonathan spent N12.2 billion on the State House, while in 2015, the government spent N6.6 billion for the presidential office, amid dwindling revenue occasioned by sliding oil prices.
The costs cover the State House Headquarters, the president's office and the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
They also cover the budgets of the State House medical centre and the Lagos Liaison office.
One of the most outstanding State House spending in 2016 will be the purchase of BMW saloon cars at N3.63 billion. It is not clear yet what purpose the cars would serve.
The state house budget also contains a repeat of projects the Jonathan administration repeatedly allocated funds for.
An example is the purchase of computers, which has featured in budgets of previous government each year.
In 2016, the State House will spend N27. 5 million on computers, while N268.9 will finance computer software acquisition.
Aso Rock will spend N764.7 million on recreational activities."
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/195903-buhari-to-spend-more-than-jonathan-on-presidential-villa-to-spend-less-on-food.html#.VoLwek1CbYA.facebook
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- Ikhide
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