Expensive beasts!

Nasarawa budgets N18m for Gov’s lions
By Kenny Ashaka, Abuja
Sunday, March 15, 2009

[b]Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu has left office as the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State but two lions he bought for security at the Lafia Government House continue to burrow into the state’s meager resources.

[b]The incumbent administration has budgeted an annual salary of N18 million (N1.5 million per month) to take care of the ferocious creatures kept at the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Abuja.[/b]The lions (a male and female) are ironically said to be ill due to lack of proper feeding and care, arising from what sources at the Commission disclosed is the concealment of the two animals’ monthly budget by certain officials of the Commission.
The former governor had purchased the two lions for reasons some politicians in the state alleged were to ruffle the feathers of political opponents who will not yield to his desires.But not buoyed by the menace of the animals, the incumbent Governor Akwe Doma was said to have ordered that they be ejected from the Government House on account of their carnivorous nature.
The ejection prompted officials in charge in Nasarawa State to enter into an agreement with the National Commission for Museum and Monuments, supervisors of zoos in the country.[/b]According to the agreement, the state government is to pay the sum of N1.5 million monthly for the upkeep of the lions while the Commission is to provide a safe and friendly habitat for the animals as long as the state government keeps to the terms in the document.
However, few months into the deal, allegations of fraudulent diversion of the lions’ monthly salary have started flying at the Commission with the government accusing certain top officials of the Commission of diverting the funds meant for the animals.

The lions are currently at the National Zoological Garden in Jos, the Plateau State capital, where reports have it that the Commission in Abuja has only been remitting a paltry N200,000 for their upkeep.
Experts at the garden in Jos, who spoke to Sunday Sun, said a lion is entitled to a meal of one goat per day.
“These animals do not feed well. We have had to skip meals to ensure that we do not ultimately run out of funds. They send only N200,000. This was not the bargain. When lions are hungry, they can do anything. We have informed Abuja about their health status,” the source told Sunday Sun.
Efforts to confirm the story from the Director-General of the Commission, Dr O.J. Eborieme, proved futile as a powerful shield was built around him by the Public Relations Unit of the Commission.

Eborieme was last Wednesday said to be attending a United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) programme and the staff were not sure when he would return to the office.
A promise by Mr. Kola Sijuwade, the Commission’s spokesman that Sunday Sun would be called as soon as the Director-General returned was not kept, in spite of the fact that the contact numbers were left with him.

Eborieme has just resumed from a nine-month suspension clamped on him by the former Minister of Tourism (now Labour Minister), Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, following allegations of graft, high-handedness and mismanagement.
He is currently embroiled in a series of labour controversies with the local chapter of the Commission’s union.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/mar/15/national-15-03-2009-01.htm

At the rate of 1 goat per day . . . both animals require 730 goats/yr.
How much does a goat cost? Does Nassarawa need to purchase a goat for N2000?

If they can't take care of the animals, i'm sure there are some wild life parks willing to accept them. And who uses Lions for security?

wat benefit does these lion serve Nigerians

damn one ewure per day? Who uses Lions for security in the year 2009?

are they computer lions or are they real, cos they are guarding govt house in Nasarawa from lafia

stupid half baked illiterate nigerian politicians and misplaced priorities, why doesnt he just move the lions to his private quarters instead of making them go through all this harrowing experience?
if they dont want it,then adequate feeding arrangements should be made for them and transferred to he state zoo or the nearest zoo

The lions are currently at the National Zoological Garden in Jos, the Plateau State capital, where reports have it that the Commission in Abuja has only been remitting a paltry N200,000 for their upkeep.

Paltry N200,000 per month _{just thinking aloud}. What is the average monthly salary of civil servants in Nassarawa State? Vagabonds In Power, indeed.

Nigeria will stop at nothing to shock me! What's this bullshit again?

Why must a Governor continue with the madness of his predecessor? Why cann't the Governor sell the lion to a Zoo or donate it? Why is he even putting the sustainability of this madness in the state budget when there are thousand of citizen roaming the street without food.

jamace:

Paltry N200,000 per month _{just thinking aloud}. What is the average monthly salary of civil servants in Nassarawa State?  Vagabonds In Power,  indeed.  

these are the sort of information journalists ought to add to their reports!

Experts at the garden in Jos, who spoke to Sunday Sun, said a lion is entitled to a meal of one goat per day.

Experts indeed!! lions in the wild don't eat that much!!

Iranoladun:

Why must a Governor continue with the madness of his predecessor? Why cann't the Governor sell the lion to a Zoo or donate it? Why is he even putting the sustainability of this madness in the state budget when there are thousand of citizen roaming the street without food.

Lagos state is cutting it's expenses while Nasarawa is adding more expenses. You would think one of the least productive states in the country would be the one cutting costs.

Only in a place called Nigeria would a governor wake up one morning and decide on 2 lions as the best form of security in 2009
What's wrong with the idea, you may ask?
Well, that because you didn't read the Bible to see how ancient Roman governors kept lions for security. Next, you'll ask what's the difference between a Nassarawa governor and an ancient Roman governor?

wonder what kind of egomanical nut keeps animals that are probably not truly tamed/trained as security. wonder how many handlers etal have been maimed and covered up .

dude is just using them as a sop to his ego, imho. all those mopols attached to him are more than enogh security. these northern governors sef. . .

how do lions fare in sahel/sudan savanna?(is my goh cheng long still sharp?) i thot savanna grasslands were their natural habitat.

Experts indeed!! lions in the wild don't eat that much!!

my sentiements exactly, but you know how it is with so called nigerian experts

Lions for security? I hope EFCC goes after the ex-governor for such stupid spending of the people’s money.

Why not give the lions back to the former governor.

How many criminals or tresspasers has the Lion apprehended so far
Stupid 9ja (hausa) governors, he must have been thinking like some wild animals b4 executing such nuisance opinion of his.
Abeg i no fit ssout!!!! Huh.