Business
Presidency budgets N3.6bn for cars, N427.5m for food stuff, kitchen utensils
By Ali Smart
Notwithstanding the austere nature of the present administration, the 2016 budget for the presidency, according to the budget document obtained by Ripples Nigeria, took care of some luxury items such as unspecified number of BMW salon cars for its principal officers at a total cost of N3,630,000,000.
Besides, tyres alone was allocated a princely sum of N189.1m for various vehicles including the bullet-proof and plain Mercedes Benz cars being used in the Presidency.
The expenditure on tyres is to cover other brands of vehicles including Toyota cars, trucks, Land Cruiser jeeps, Prado jeeps, Hilux pick-up vans, Peugeot 607 and 406 cars, ambulances along with others broadly described as “ utility and operational vehicles.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to spend a total sum of N1,415,706,197 on both local and international travels and transports compared to his predecessor who spent N944,672,109 in 2015 on travels and transportation.
Compared with the 2015 national budget of N24.4 billion for the Presidency, N39 billion is being allocated for it under the 2016 national budget.
A further breakdown of the 2016 budget for the Presidency shows that in place of the N24. 6 million voted for the Presidency’s Wildlife Conservation, including the purchase of exotic animals last year, N326m would be expended on the same item in 2016.
Presidential canteen materials and kitchen equipment has increased from N83. 1m in 2015 to N89m in 2016.
There is also a marginal increase in the N11m voted for supply of foodstuff and catering services in the Vice President’s office in 2015 to N16.6m.
Other expenditures for the Presidency includes: general renovation of the Guest House (N387m); complete furnishing of the Guest House (N45m); purchase of computers (27.5m), and construction and provision of recreational facilities (764m).
Recreational materials totalling N12m are to be procured too.
Other expenditures on the Presidency’s vehicles include N39.8m for the purchase of an unspecified number of 200 amps, 100 amps and 60 amps Mercedes Benz batteries for bullet-proof vehicles.
Another N30m is to be expended on the purchase of tool boxes, car jacks, and diagnostic machines for the Presidency’s bullet-proof cars.
Read also: ‘Subsidy payment equals 25% of 2015 budget’
The purchase of C-Caution triangles, fire-extinguishers and cables is to cost N27m.
While there is no indication of the number or condition of items procured by the Presidency in 2015, N114.4m is to be expended on the upgrade of internet infrastructure in the State House while N22.5 is to be spent on purchasing internet servers.
The purchase of what is described as “Active Devices for State House Network” is to cost another N100m and N35m is to be expended on the purchase of security appliances and licences, including computer anti-virus software.
Under the Office of the National Security Adviser’s N90.3 billion budget for 2016, N8.7 billion is to be expended to develop the ONSA’s “All-Eye” surveillance project and another N9 billion to construct an esoterically-named “Stravinsky Project”.
The ONSA’s security vote, including funds for operations is pegged at N576m.
The Department of State Security (DSS) has N2.2 billion for its 2016 security vote while the Presidential Air Fleet is to spend N262.4m on Air Navigation equipment.
Under the 2016 budget, State House Headquarters is to spend N104. 7m on refreshment and meals while foodstuff and catering materials worth N102.9m are to be supplied.
The 2016 budget for the Presidency also made provision for N99m to be expended as grants to local councils.
Other items under the Presidency’s 2016 budget include: N55,670,000 for installation of budget planning software; N272,646,891 for Upgrading of Mechanical & Electrical power line (underground) supplies to the State House; N322,421,971 for linking of cable to drivers’ rest room at Villa Admin, and N213,873,953 for linking of cable from House No 9 Generator House to the gate.
Others are: N618,604,265 for
installation of electrical lightings & fittings; N191,592,132 for electrical installation of distribution boards & other cables; N22,861,449 for provision of stage curtains & electrical drive; N10,416,146 for installations of electrical materials and luminaries.
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