Following president Muhammadu Buhari's enormous foreign travels after travels, coupled with that of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, reports have it that both President Buhari and Vice president Osinbajo have #1.4 billion proposed for their foreign travels and foods on the 2019 budget.

This huge amount used for foreign travels have been questioned and still gears enormous criticism from the Nigeria populace. The President and other delegates after returning from Sochi Russia to attend the African-Russian Summit on October 23-24, today reports have it that President Buhari will embark on another trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia today to attend the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), which runs from October 29-31, after which he will visit Mecca also in Saudi Arabia.

Also shortly after his Saudi Arabia trip, three days later, President Buhari has planned to travel to London, UK on November 2nd, for a two weeks vacation.

In the 2020 budget proposal submitted to the joint session of the National Assembly on October 8, the President and Vice President of Nigeria travel and food will cost Nigeria a total sum of N3.5 billion, an amount which topples that of 2019 by over 60% increase.

From the 2020 budget of #3.5bn combined, the president alone is to spend #2.5bn on local and foreign travels. With Yemi Osinbajo to spend the remaining #1bn.

Despite his new foreign travel guidelines for ministers which Mr Buhari said would curb leakages and ensure efficiency in the management of resources of government, President Buhari's allocation for international travels increased from N751 million in 2019 to N1.75 billion.

Also, N775 million is budgeted for the president's local travels, a whopping rise from the N250 million budgeted for the same purpose in 2019.

Similarly, N98 million was budgeted for the president's foodstuff and catering supplies, while N25 million was budgeted for refreshments and meals.

For refreshments and meals, the president and his household and office are expected to spend more than N68,000 per day asides from the foodstuff and catering services.

For the vice president, N801 million was budgeted for travels for the year as against the N301 million which was budgeted for travels in 2019.

Local travel will gulp N283 million while international travels get N517 million in 2020.

Similarly, for the vice president, the sum total of N50 million was budgeted for foodstuff and catering materials and supplies and N18 million for refreshments and meals.

All these travels expenses have generated a lot of questions from all nukes and crannies as whether these travels are benefiting the Nigerian state.

And also critics put into consideration the level of poverty in Nigeria resulting from unemployment, underemployment, poor infrastructural facilities and lack of adequate social amenities. Furthering on the criticism, they opined that all these travelings could be slashed by the national assembly after a cross checking have been made, if the travels and costs have a commensurable benefit and reward for the country.


Source: https://ngg.ng/2019/10/28/buhari-and-osinbajo-travels-cost-nigeria-1-4bn-in-2019-budget-amount-doubles-in-2020-budget/

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