The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental-Governmental Affairs on Wednesday rejected the N1.2bn proposal by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for the upkeep of former Heads of State and their deputies.


Chairman of the committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, said his conscience would not permit him to defend it before the Senate Committee on Appropriation to which he directed the SGF.


A Permanent Secretary at the SGF’s office, Mr. Taiye Haruna, who represented the SGF, Yayale Ahmed, told the committee that the N1.2bn was not captured in the 2011 budget proposals, but that it would be presented to the committee later.


He also said that the sum of N2.2 billion was proposed for the upkeep of the former leaders in 2010, but was also dropped when the budget was being computed.


Adeyemi was visibly angry at the proposal.


He told the SGF, “I will not be able to defend this before the appropriation committee. My conscience will not permit me to do that. I think that these retired Heads of State should be able to take care of their needs, but we are still paying so much in the face of people not being able to eat three square meals a day. It is unfair.


“I cannot understand why we are going to be spending so much money on former Heads of State who presided over the affairs of this country rightly and wrongly when we are growing an army of unemployed youths who are now capable of staging a revolution.


“It is unfair to set aside N2bn for a few people who were part of those who mismanaged this country when there are no jobs, when there are no drugs in the hospitals and there is so much poverty in the land.”


Haruna explained further that N1.2bn was actually meant to cater for the needs of the former leaders which were already in arrears.


He said there were seven living former Heads of State; five former Vice-Presidents, six families of deceased leaders and two families of deceased Vice-Presidents.


He argued that the upkeep was in line with the Act recently passed by the National Assembly on the upkeep of the former Heads of State.


He said a five bedroom housing accommodation was supposed to be built for each of the former leaders in any location of their choice with telephone services. The government is also expected to provide, at least, three vehicles for them and pay the salaries of their personal staff.


The funds will also be used to cater for them whenever they visit Abuja, as well as pay for other courier services required by the former leaders.


Haruna also explained that as soon as the major provisions were made, the annual upkeep would not be more than N250m.


But Adeyemi noted that though the Act had come into force, he stood against it as it did not represent the interest of the people of Nigerians.


According to him, he would continue to oppose the implementation of the Act, hoping that someday the Act would be revisited for a possible repeal or amendment.

kai, this dude ehn?

we now live in a country where taxpayer's money is spent ''judiciously'' for the upkeep of those who looted our treasuries dry. 

Go on Jonathan, let's give the thieves more money, who says OBJ and IBB don't require upkeep? or who says the families of late Gen Abacha wouldn't need money for their daily meals.

I hate to say this, but really, Jonathan is dáft!

violent:

kai, this dude ehn?

we now live in a country where taxpayer's money is spent ''judiciously'' for the upkeep of those who looted our treasuries dry. 

Go on Jonathan, let's give the thieves more money, who says OBJ and IBB don't require upkeep? or who says the families of late Gen Abacha wouldn't need money for their daily meals.

I hate to say this, but really, Jonathan is dáft!
 

@ highlighted
Are you just noticing?! Anyway, prepare yourselve for another 4years of anarchy!

jason123:



@ highlighted
Are you just noticing?! Anyway, prepare yourselve for another 4years of anarchy!

It's hard to fathom really, you can imagine the senate full of looters thinking ''haba, oga this one don too much now"

I am preparing myself for those days when the oil runs dry, and in a bid to keep up with our debts, our president prints more naira than necessary, which eventually force the value of naira down south. . . .those days are coming i tell ya.

How anyone will think of voting for this same government eludes me!

violent:

It's hard to fathom really, you can imagine the senate full of looters thinking ''haba, oga this one don too much now"

I am preparing myself for those days when the oil runs dry, and in a bid to keep up with our debts, our president prints more naira than necessary, which eventually force the value of naira down south. . . .those days are coming i tell ya.

How anyone will think of voting for this same government eludes me!

Bro, I know how pissed off you are. I was like that sometime back but it is like Nigerians just like mediocrity. NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN WHY WE SHOULD VOTE FOR GEJ except for the fact that he is a "minority". Can you imagine the excuse Yet, some people would still vote for him, he would rig win the election and the CYCLE of corruption, ethnic bigotry, national stupi.dity continues

violent:

kai, this dude ehn?

we now live in a country where taxpayer's money is spent ''judiciously'' for the upkeep of those who looted our treasuries dry. 

Go on Jonathan, let's give the thieves more money, who says OBJ and IBB don't require upkeep? or who says the families of late Gen Abacha wouldn't need money for their daily meals.

I hate to say this, but really, Jonathan is dáft!
 

But it is not Jonathan but the senate that created this about 8 or so years ago. Yes, even Yaradua, who died as president, benefited from it, it is our senators that made it all happen.

jason123:



@ highlighted
Are you just noticing?! Anyway, prepare yourselve for another 4years of anarchy!

Return of Shagari on steroids .

Clueless as ever

Mischievous title.

The law was in place before Jonathan came to power. Jonathan has nothing to do with the law that says past Presidents/VPs and their families should be paid upkeeps and taken care of.

Propaganda doesnt pay, truth pays. These shows that people can be fed with lies and they go out celebrating. and these responders are people we thought has their head intact. Now we know better.


Keep your insults to your pockets.

Gbawe:


Return of Shagari on steroids .

PMSL

These men are living large already .why do we need to waste money on them again ?

~Bluetooth:

These men are living large already .why do we need to waste money on them again ?

I wonder!

~Bluetooth:

These men are living large already .why do we need to waste money on them again ?

Apparently, Jonathan couldn't find another way to spend 1.2billion naira, why not save it for the ex-head of states. it seems a reasonable thing to do. . , .ah let's not worry about the civil servants screaming for an increase in minimum wage, they are just whining over frivolities, afterall they can afford 2 square meal a day, that should be enough, the government cannot afford to pay more

againstGEJ:

Mischievous title.

The law was in place before Jonathan came to power. Jonathan has nothing to do with the law that says past Presidents/VPs and their families should be paid upkeeps and taken care of.

Propaganda doesnt pay, truth pays. These shows that people can be fed with lies and they go out celebrating. and these responders are people we thought has their head intact. Now we know better.


Keep your insults to your pockets.

Oh please, the bill was passed in Nov 2010!. . .and guess whose signature is boldly inscribed in the portion that states "I ascent"?

The bill was never in public interest, and a government that claims to offer change and what's that thing called again self. . . .erhm. . .yes! "Fresh Air", will not offer sponsorship for such, except of course, he stands to gain from it.


That asides, the 1.2 billion was proposed by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, of course, the smart ones know that such offices don't have autonomy to make such decisions, it's definitely on the orders of a president who's bent on running the nation bankrupt, for now, that seem to be his only goal and yes, he's doing an excellent job at it.

EzeUche_:

Most Nigerians do not pay any worthwhile taxes.

This is "oil rents" being spent.

true talk

This has nothing to do with Jonathan but rather our federal lawmakers.

if i am jonathan, i will make it N2b knowing too well that his tenure ends come may 2011.
pdp must go to hell.

I dont like it when youths dat are supposed 2 argue intellectually are blinded by personal interests.U cant use ur hatred 4 a particular candidate 2 promote ur candidate.Its cheap propanganda and shows how daft or biased our Youths are yet we blame govt. An assignment for u folks.Go and find out who represent u in d house and senate.Then ensure u re carried along in d process of making laws so u wont come here and argue blindly after a law has been passed,awaiting implementatn by FG then u come and insult GEJ as if he s d one dat made ur chickens,goats and dogs barren!

We are raising an Army of nigerians online. Please join the group - Do not pay Ex-Presidents of Nigeria NGN 2 Billion! on facebook - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_165540876829706&id=167561759960951&ref=notif&notif_t=like.