N322.4m to link a cable to the drivers’ restroom and other outrageous allocations in the 2016 budget

The Presidency budgeted N322.4 million to link
a cable to the drivers’ restroom in Aso Rock, a
review of the controversial 2016 budget by
Premium Times has revealed.
The online newspaper’s analysis has revealed
that the budget, already a source of
controversy, is replete with outrageous
proposals, repetitions and frivolous
allocations.
Last Saturday, apparently embarrassed by the
frivolity of the budget, an unnamed source
within the presidency told journalists that the
budget was padded by top civil servants who
he described as a ‘budget mafia’.
During yesterday’s defence of the budget of
his ministry, the Minister for Health Isaac
Adewole told the Senate that he was unaware
of some of the allocations in the budget.
Below are some of the outrageous proposals in
the budget:
The office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
was allocated more money for books than the
total of allocation for books for federal
polytechnics, 11 out of the which did not get
any allocation at all. While N4,906,822 was
proposed to be spent on books by Mr Osinbajo,
a total of N3,832,038 was proposed for the
polytechnics.
The State House Clinic allocated N3.2 billion
for equipment and is planning to build a VIP
wing at the clinic for N308 million.
N213,873,953 was proposed for the linking of a
cable from Guest House No 9 generator house
to the gate. Also, the presidency allocated
N618,604,265 for the installation of electrical
lighting and fittings at the villa, which equate
to spending N1.6 million daily installing
lighting and fittings and another N371,733,964
for the installation of electrical distribution
boards and other cables.
Buhari also proposed to renovate Aso Rock
Guest House for N387,980,200. N45 million was
earmarked for furniture.
Furthermore, a whopping N3.91 billion was
earmarked for the annual routine maintenance
of villa facilities. A breakdown of this amount
shows that the government plans to spend
N10.72 million daily on routine maintenance.
The President also proposed to spend
N22,321,880 to pay rent at the State House. It is
unclear whom the presidency is paying the
rent to.