Budget: Aso Rock to spend N1.72bn on welfare packages, refreshments in 2022
By Our Correspondents
Federal government has budgeted a sum of N1,721,703,735 for food stuff, refreshments, welfare, and others in the 2022 budget for the state house.
This is in accordance with the data available in the 2022 appropriation Act.
Meanwhile, economic experts who spoke with Nigerian NewsDirect chided the federal government over its frivolous spending, noting that the Buhari administration was acting contrary to the President’s promises to stamp corruption.
Taking a cursory look at the figure, general maintenance services which constitute transport equipment, office equipment, office furniture, residential quarters and other services gulped a total of N402, 251, 581 for 2022.
About N120, 699, 558 will be expended on cooking gas, motor vehicle fuel and generator costs.
On the other hand, the money allocated for welfare packages for those at the State house totalled N314,730,180 for the year in view.
Feeding and catering services for the personnel living at the State House will cost the government the sum of N241,143,963 in the same year, while internet access charges, water rates, sewage discharge, electronic charges and telephone calls will take the sum of N503, 209, 802.
While speaking with our correspondent, the Executive Director of Nigerian Workforce and Enlightenment Centre (NIWOSEC), Comrade David Kayode Ehindero said, “The fact that Nigeria is broke but the spending of Government is not suggesting the economy situation.
According to him, “The government is not observing decorum in spending. The disappointing thing is that the government promised to stamp corruption but frivolity in spending is another worst form of corruption. Spending such an amount for food stuff and other domestic spendings is not acceptable and ludicrous.”
Also, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, BIC Consultancy Services, Dr. Boniface Chizea said there is more to it than meets the eyes.
According to him, “You know when taken out of context or if you like trend analysis, this amount under such budget head, sounds alarming. It is important to get behind the figure to determine what exactly it is meant for. You will probably discover that there is more to the figure than it looks at first sight.
“Also it is important to do a trend analysis. What has the figure been over the last few years. I suspect we might discover that there have been no sudden increase. One is not claiming that we should not interrogate because the figure has not witnessed any sudden increase. What is in the content is not important than what is behind the figure.”
On his part, the former Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, Kwara State, Alhaji Wasiu Odewale said governments have been known to be extremely wasteful in spending and very hesitant in cutting costs.
He said, “The food at Aso Rock is for the whole Nigeria. So, let him spend the money for just the remaining year of waste and economic diversification.”
