FG to Spend N3.9bn on Aso Rock Maintenance

FG to Spend N3.9bn on Aso Rock Maintenance

It has been revealed that the Appropriation Act 2016, otherwise called the 2016 budget, recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, contains a vote of N3.914bn for the maintenance of the Presidential Villa in Abuja for this year alone.

Punch reports that the amount is quite distinct from another allocation of N282.962m set aside for the “General Maintenance Services of State House (Headquarters)” and the N41.844m budgeted for “General Maintenance Services of State House Operations (Vice President).”

The N3.914bn maintenance fee for the presidential villa will be paid to popular construction firm, Julius Berger Plc, saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the seat of power and is tagged “Annual Routine Maintenance of Villa Facilities.”

According to Punch newspaper, the “State House Operations (President) got a total allocation of N1.698bn in the budget while State House Operations (Vice-President) got a total allocation of N289.617bn.”

A breakdown of the N282.962m allocated to the “General Maintenance Services of State House (Headquarters)” shows that N182.079m will be spent on maintenance of motor vehicles/transport equipment; N11.545m for the maintenance of office furniture; N27.846m for the maintenance of office/Information Technology equipment; N13.620m for the maintenance of plants/generators and N47.870m for “other maintenance services.”

The breakdown of the N41.844m budgeted for “General Maintenance Services of State House Operations (Vice President)” similarly shows that N27.139m is for the maintenance of motor vehicles/transport equipment; N1.451m for the maintenance of office furniture; N4.422m for the maintenance of plants/generator; and N8.832m for “other maintenance services.”

Under the heading “Materials and Supplies”, the princely sum N103.470m is budgeted for foodstuff/catering materials supplies; N321.070m for miscellaneous; N276.879m for honorarium and sitting allowance; while N44.190m is allocated to publicity and advertisement.

For an administration that was elected on the premise of change and which had at least two opportunities to amend the budget during the protracted crisis, many may find it disappointing that such heavy sums were still allocated to basic issues more so at a time when the government claims it is short of funding.

Meanwhile, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will be representing President Buhari in Lagos for a scheduled state visit.

A terse statement released by Mr Laolu Akande, senior special assistant on media and publicity, in the office of the vice president, merely stated that “on behalf of the President, Prof Osinbajo would commission a number of projects in the state as part of the visit.”

No clear reasons have been established for the president’s failure to personally be in Lagos but The Nation reports that senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity Garba Shehu said the president “has scheduling difficulties.”

Some of the projects to be inaugurated include the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Rescue Unit in Cappa, Oshodi; the newly constructed Ago Palace Way in Okota, Isolo and the inauguration of security equipment and vehicles donated by the Ambode administration among others.