In a bizarre move, the National Assembly which previously criticised the budget for the celebration of Nigeria's 50th independence anniversary, calling it excessive, has turned round to approve a figure that is N7 billion more than the Presidency had requested.



The President had initially asked for N16.4 billion for the anniversary but later reviewed it downwards to N9.48 billion following severe criticisms from the public, civil society groups and even the lawmakers.

When the request for N16.4billion was turned down on July 7 and returned to the Presidency, President Goodluck Jonathan scaled down the request to N9.48 billion in a revised supplementary budget. However, the lawmakers have now approved N17.195 billion, an excess of about N7.715 billion for the anniversary.

Assembly bonanza

In approving the new revised budget, the national assembly accommodated the additions under the capital expenditure budgeted for the ministry of the Federal Capital Territory and the ministry of aviation.

For instance, the president had requested only N97 million for the ministry of Federal Capital Territory for the replacement of the carpets in the International Conference Centre, but the lawmakers ended up approving N3.8 billion for the ministry. This is N2.83 billion above what was requested.

Also, the Aviation ministry which had tendered a N2.25 billion request, out of which N1 billion will be used for the renovation of the Abuja airport, N1 billion for the provision of additional parking and N250 million to buy equipment for safe aircraft parking at five airports, it got an approval of N7.135 billion from the lawmakers.

The addition to the ministry's request was in excess of N4.885 billion.

Tight-lips

Unlike the original budget proposal sent to the national assembly by the executive, which had detailed explanation for each allocation, the budget as approved by the lawmakers had no details, and was arranged in lump sums for subheads only.

Both secretariats of the House and Senate committees on appropriation which handled the computation of the budget denied any knowledge of the details saying they believe details of the approvals will be made available in future.

Also, Ayo Adeseun, chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriation, said he will offer explanations on a future date. Mr. Adeseun who was reacting to questions said he will need to consult the records before offering the needed explanation.

However, Iyiola Omisore, the chairman of senate committee on appropriation did not reply to enquiries nor returned calls.

In addition to the N7.715 billion excess made to the revised anniversary budget, every other fund requested by the president for the anniversary was approved as requested.

The designing and hosting of the Nigeria @ 50 website for 2 years will still cost N6 million, anniversary Logo- N30 million, and anniversary parade including march past, fleet review, aerial display - N950 million.

The ministry of foreign affairs plans to use N600 million to organise celebrations for Nigerian missions abroad and the information and communication ministry's plan to use N1 billion to insert special reports on Nigeria in local and international media were also approved.

The women affairs ministry budget of N105 million for seminars for women and children and 50th anniversary party for 1000 children were also approved as requested.

Frivolous and extravagant

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had in criticising the anniversary budget described it as "wasteful and insensitive." The NLC spokesperson, Onah Iduh, said considering that the mass misery and poverty in the country has been made worse with the prevailing cash squeeze due to the global economic crisis, the over N10 billion budgeted for the anniversary was "very frivolous and extravagant.'' He said, "As far as the NLC is concerned our leaders must realise that the logic, essence and philosophy of nationhood is purely the welfare and security of citizens through humanitarian, progressive and egalitarian ideals enforced through the instrumentality of government. These are fundamental obligations that the Nigerian political leadership has abdicated in the past 50 years." However, the Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, while defending the budget said the public perception that the money was wasteful amid pressing economic problems, was wrong because it was tied to capital expenditure.

He had said, "We just tied them to the anniversary budget to make things faster. We are renovating Lagos and Abuja airports, for example. Both airports should measure up to international standards normally. We are doing that and putting in place standard security systems so that the airports will be up to standard. These are places people will visit first. There are many other beneficial projects tied to this budget.

Rather than fault the budget, people should ask, what is the money being spent on?''

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5598727-146/story.csp

It's an opportunity for the law makers to embezzle beyond their ordinary stealing platform (constituency allowance). And for the Minister saying that expenses are tied to capital expenditure, can he justify such wasteful expenditures for 50th Anniversary when there are millions of parents that can not afford school fees for their wards in tertiary institutions?

[size=20pt]For instance, the president had requested only N97 million for the ministry of Federal Capital Territory for the replacement of the carpets in the International Conference Centre, but the lawmakers ended up approving N3.8 billion for the ministry. This is N2.83 billion above what was requested.[/size]

Opari o. Lawd Almighty

How is this supposed to be news

Usu o nwere onu

@philip

Why do you have to write this way. This is offensive, not even good for the eyes. Where are the mods?

yemmight:

@philip

Why do you have to write this way. This is offensive, not even good for the eyes. Where are the mods?

close ur eye and scroll down. . .dats all.

Don't you just love nigeria, nigeria we hail thee, these lawmakers have succeded in finally breaking the bank, this is the height of it all, the president lowered the budget for the nigeria @ 50 events,and they have scaled up,without telling anyone, or budgeting extra funds, Can you imagine such rubbish

this is madness

How do we know the truth ??aghghhhhhhh!

I think this story is a lie.Punch newspapers which is much more credible had an article today in which either the NLC or LP was asking for the N6.6bn already in place to be further reduced.Where did 234next get N17bn from?

TewMuch:

I think this story is a lie.Punch newspapers which is much more credible had an article today in which either the NLC or LP was asking for the N6.6bn already in place to be further reduced.Where did 234next get N17bn from?

so u don't believe it?u must be an american

THIS LEADERS ARE JUST TOO WICKED TELL ME WHAT WILL ALL THIS MONEY BE USED FOR WHEN WE ARE THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEHIND DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE POWER THEY PROMISED US, I THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME WE KILLED THEM ALL WITH NO MARCY, THEY MOST ALL DIE AND GO TO HELL WERE THEY BELONG THEY ARE NO GOOD TO THIS NATION AND MOST ALL DIE

Men in action.

Nigeria@50: NLC urges FG to further reduce N6.6bn budget- This is as of today, so 234 next got it wrong and have lost credibility, we love sensational news but not false news. .
By Agency reporter
Monday, 26 Jul 2010


The Nigeria Labour Congress on Sunday called on the Federal Government to further reduce the N6.6bn budget for Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary celebration.

The initial N10bn budget was recently reduced to N6.6bn.

The NLC’s Chief Economist, Dr. Peter Ozo-Ezon, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that 50 years of Nigeria’s existence did not require a jamboree but required sober reflection.

“We think that what we require at the 50th anniversary is an opportunity for sober reflection of why we are at where we are.

“Given that we have not realised the potential of this country, we do not require this huge budget to celebrate the anniversary.

“Let us ask the question, how many dilapidated schools can that amount refurbish or renovate and how many hospitals and health clinics can such an amount improve?

“How many roads can we fix? These are practical questions we must be asking,” he said.

The NLC official lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for reducing the initial budget by 33 per cent.

“The 33 per cent deduction is not what we are looking for; we are actually saying that we need to completely scale down the proceedings for the 50th anniversary.

“It will be better to have a budget that will clearly not be more than N1bn or N2bn, to organise opportunities for us to reflect on why we are where we are.

“We should also remind ourselves about what we have achieved, because there have been many achievements, and the way forward.

“We should spend the money directly on productive type of investments by creating both a stimulus to aggregate demand and a stimulus to the supply side. I think that is what the economy needs,” Ozo-Eson added.

He said that the delay in the implementation of the 2010 budget was quite unfortunate for the economy.

Ozo-Eson said the budget was supposed to give broad directions of government‘s priority for the economy into the next 12 months.

“It is indeed a setback situation; this does not show seriousness and it does not give the type of information that brings confidence, whether for investors or for whosoever that is operating in the economy.

“This is a situation of a flip-flop on the budget draining the national economy. When the national economy suffers, workers suffer. This is because the buoyant economy is the best for workers to guarantee their jobs and to be able to get their wages raised.

“This present situation has led to where we are, where the economy is really nothing to write home about,” he told NAN.

@Twemuch, read the articles with your eyes open please!

i think it's time we stop talking too much about all the bad things and all the embezzlement by our leaders. it's high time we do something about this, because talking too much will never solve our problems in this country. may it's high time we go for agitation or kill them one after the other. these guys have made too much money by stealing the country's money and yet people are talking without actions. this our talk talk can never solve our problems, these guys are human beings like us and not higher creatures. i weep for our country Nigeria. this is 50YRS AND not 50 days, still nothing to write home about. AGITATION IS WHAT WE NEED AND NOT TALK TALK. period!!!

philip0906:

e shock u?. .abegi dat money is 2 small 4 our International conference centre's carpet.our international conference centre needs 2 be d best and most beautiful in d world.they should set up a commitee 2 make sure dat d carpets r imported and d money well spent. . ."i luv Nigeria"

Really the money is too small, it's even not up to 50m for each of the assembly member. with these they can't share more than N20M each.

Nigeria!!! May God save us.

we need to start by saving ourselves.

if we think a supreme being would come down the alter to redeem us, then we need a brain MOT.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/296049_Law_jpg3d1ebddbad515a24d7b967e27b926ed5

this dude sabi ugly.

Ileke-IdI:


this dude sabi ugly.

but go and c how uniabj girls r dying 2 kiss his ponmo lips. . .

philip0906:

but go and c how uniabj girls r dying 2 kiss his ponmo lips. . .

but seriously, how can God punish him with that size of head, big lips and waga waga teeth combined?

Ileke-IdI:

but seriously, how can God punish him with that size of head, big lips and waga waga teeth combined?

i wonder o

The Govt shouts inflation while the ones claiming ridiculous prices for contracts, what we spend money on in Nigeria are the least of our problems!

These Lawmakers thieves can never change!

Why? I don't believe it, our lawbreaker will never do that

Nja the failed project

N30 Million for a logo??!!!. Are you joking

I WOULD DESIGN THE LOGO FOR FREE. I mean a world class logo.

If anybody among them see this message please contact me. Don't waste that money please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bastards