Ten billion naira will be spent by the Federal Government to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Nigeria’s independence in October. This was the highlight of the N639 billion naira Supplementary Appropriation Bill that President Goodluck Jonathan sent to the National Assembly for approval yesterday.

A breakdown of the expenditure shows that N950 million is budgeted for anniversary parade including march past, fleet review and aerial display, while another N350 million will be expended on  national unity torch and tour.

First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan will spend N50 million for a special visit to special homes, orphanages, prisons and selected hospitals, while N20 million will be used to sponsor a special session of the National Children Parliament.  Another N20 million will used to organise a party for 1000 children.

The government will further spend N40 million to organise a Presidential banquet, N50 million for calisthenics performance, N310 million for cultural, historical and military exhibitions while another N40 million will go for what the government called “food week.”

Other monies to be gulped by the 50th anniversary birthday bash include N320 million on secretariat equipment, accommodation, logistics and utilities while N30 million is budgeted for the designing and unveiling of the 50th anniversary logo.

Similarly, the Ministry of Information and Communications will spend N1.2 billion for insertion of special reports on Nigeria in both local and international media, another N320 million will be spent on jingles, adverts, billboards, documentary and publicity, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will receive N105 million for an undisclosed expenditure.

To mark the 50th independence anniversary, the government has also budgeted N700 million to accommodate and transport special guests both from within and outside the country. Another N450 million will be used to finance the production of branded souvenirs and gift items for foreign heads of state and to erect a coat of arms on Aso Rock.

Also as part of the bash, a variety gala night and fireworks will gulp N210 million naira; an international friendly football match and local competition will gulp N200 million while event managers and producers will take home N120 million naira. Designing and publication of a compendium on Nigeria will cost N400 million, while a similar one on the legislature will cost N150 million and a compendium on the judiciary will cost N50 million.

Commissioning  of the golden jubilee plaza will cost N10 million naira; while designing, construction and mounting of Tower of Unity in the 36 states of the Federation will gulp another N540 million.

Debates, essays, conferences, lectures, and a colloquium will gulp yet another N150 million; musical concerts and carnivals in the 6 geo-political zones will cost N60 million; durbar, masquerades and cultural dances will consume N100 million and designing and construction of 10 symbolic monuments of founding fathers of Nigeria will swallow up N80 million naira.

A memory tone at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos will consume N40 million, security and protocol will cost N500 million naira while N25 million has been budgeted for medicals during the same anniversary.

Osama10:

Waste of funds.

Kobojunkie:

[size=13pt]$ 67 Million US DOLLARS [/size]  to celebrate Nigeria's 50th Birthday?

$ 67 Million US DOLLARS   to celebrate Nigeria's 50th Birthday?

Kobojunkie:

ROFLMAO . . . .

Ok @Otawa, I am gonna bite. . . what is up with you and this woman? I mean I know she needs to be brought to justice for that case and any other but seriously, tell us. Why do I get the sense that this is more than just the money for you? Is she from your village or something? You encounter this woman before her husband became a politician or something? wetin? I am with you that she needs to face the music, but like my obsession with getting people to understand that Akunyili is no HERO, I think there is more to yours too.

Kobojunkie:

ROFLMAO  . . . .

Ok @Otawa, I am gonna bite.  . . what is up with you and this woman? I mean I know she needs to be brought to justice for that case and any other but seriously, tell us. Why do I get the sense that this is more than just the money for you? Is she from your village or something? You encounter this woman before her husband became a politician or something? wetin? I am with you that she needs to face the music, but[b] like my obsession with getting people to understand that Akunyili is no HERO[/b], I think there is more to yours too.  

otawa:

Kobo. I dont know her and I have nothing to do with her.

My grouse is that every now and then we have CLEAN opportunity to set the country on the right path but what do we do; screw up.

In 1998 when Abiola and Abacha died, it was perfect chance to set the country straight but we were saddled with Mr Obasanjo.
We know how it ended.

In 2010 when Yaradua died, it was another perfect chance and what do we get? another thief as president.

Do you see what $67million could to to Nigeria I wrote above?

It is HALF the National budget of GAMBIA for crying out loud. useless country indeed!

OAM4J:

LOL  
so you admit you are obsessed with Akinyili !!!
While we wait for Otawa answer, can you also do us a favour, by letting us know the reason why you are obsessed with Akinyuli.  

Kobojunkie:

I am not obsessed with the woman. . . . I am more obsessed with trying to get people to understand that those they select as heroes eg. Akunyili, are not really heroes but a part of the problem in most cases.

I watched as this woman was mad minister back in 08, spent a whole year with one blunder after another in the name of CHANGING NIGERIA, and then at the end, she moves to make sure a lame president continues as president but instead people chose instead to READ WHAT THEY WANTED into what she said and made her a hero at the end of the day. It seemed like someone really from the TWILIGHT ZONE to me. I could not believe that even supposedly intelligent beings could read her memo and not see that she called, not for impeachment and doing the righ tthing according to our constitution, but for circumventing of the law in order to ensure the sick man remained president no matter what. I am still in shock to this day that even people like Wole Soyinka could not see that GBAJU E move dealt the nation! What if Yar adua had not died?

OAM4J:

@Kobo

Agree. But you took up the crusade like there are more to it.

Are you sure she didn't block one of your proposals or did something that affected you personally?

OAM4J:

But she is not different from or more guilty than others

Why her?

snowdrops:

Actually the amount is 1 billion naira.

9 billion is earmarked to be embezelled.