Welfare Of The Few, By The Few: Jonathan, Sambo, Anyim To Get N1.59bn For Welfare In 2013

The offices of three principal functionaries of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria – the President, the
Vice-President and Secretary to the Government
of the Federation – will spend N1.59bn on
welfare packages in 2013.
While Goodluck Jonathan is currently the
president, Namadi Sambo is the VP. The office of
the SGF is occupied by Anyim Pius Anyim.
Details of the budget obtained by our
correspondents in Abuja on Friday showed that
the three offices would spend N1.59bn on the
undefined item tagged welfare packages.
The SGF office will spend the lion share of
N1.07bn; the President’s office will spend
N355.9m, while the VP’s office will spend
N160.83m.
As at press time, it was not certain whether the
welfare package stands for miscellaneous
expenses such as transportation of visitors to
government officials.
The 2013 budget shows that Nigeria will spend
slightly less than N1bn (precisely N990.24m) in
feeding Jonathan and Sambo in 2013.
The Nigeria Police will spend N110m on the
feeding of dogs in the 2013 financial year.
The breakdown on the cost of feeding in the
Presidency shows that Jonathan will spend on
N406, 738,969 on foodstuffs and catering
materials next year.
The gas for cooking the President’s food will cost
N13, 420,750, while the refreshment and meals
in the State House will cost the nation N327,
154,931. Similar expenses will be made in the
VP’s office.
Foodstuffs and catering materials for the VP will
cost the nation N112, 500,000 in 2013, while the
gas for cooking the food will cost N7, 020,750.
Refreshment and meals will cost N123, 402,499
for the VP’s office in 2013.
These expenditure items bring the total cost for
feeding in the Presidential Villa to N990.24m for
the 2013 fiscal year.
The provision for feeding in the Presidency in
2013 is only N2.33m shy of the amount which
the government is spending on foodstuff and
refreshment in the Presidential Villa in the current
budget year.
-PUNCH