FG allocates N6.9bn for Villa zoo, presidential fleet, others

The Presidency is proposing to spend a total sum of N6.94bn on wildlife conservation, fuel and lubricants, purchase of C-Caution triangles for vehicles, fire extinguishers, construction of recreational facilities at the State House and maintain the presidential fleet.

Details of the spending are contained in the 2016 budget, which President Muhammadu Buhari presented to a joint session of the National last week.

A copy of the budget for the State House was obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday in Abuja.

It states that while the sum of N3.65bn is allocated for the presidential fleet of the State House alone, the balance of N3.27bn is proposed for items such as furniture, electricity, wildlife conservation, fuel and kitchen equipment among others.

For instance, it states that the Presidency is planning to spend a total sum of N326.08m on wildlife conservation.

The budget document also makes a provision of N387.98m for general renovation of the guest house at the State House while additional amount of N45m is budgeted for "complete furnishing of the entire guest house."

It also indicates that the sum of N764.67m is proposed for "construction and provision of recreational facilities", while N322.4m is allocated for the linking of cable for the driver's restroom at the State House.

Installation of electrical lightings and fittings, according to the budget document, is estimated to gulp N618.6m; linking of cable from the generator house of the guest house to the gate, N213.87m; while the sum of N189.17m is being proposed for a bulletproof ambulance as well as other operational vehicles.

In the same vein, the purchase of C-caution (triangles), fire extinguishers and towing ropes of booster cable have a budget of N27m; upgrade of Internet infrastructure, N111.4m; purchase of canteen/kitchen equipment, N89.17m; fuel and lubricants for motor vehicles and generators, N90.49m; and welfare packages, N107.25m.

For the presidential air fleet of the State House, the budget document states that out of the sum of N3.65bn, about N3.275bn would be spent for recurrent items while the balance of N376.78m has been proposed for capital expenditure.

Some of the expenditure items listed for the presidential fleet are maintenance of aircraft, N1.05bn; aircraft fuel, N582.48m; cleaning and fumigation services, N4m; insurance premium, N320m; miscellaneous such as refreshment and meals, N40m; and security vote, N183m.

Similarly, purchase of fire fighting equipment for the presidential air fleet is to cost N7.9m; purchase of navigational instrument, N262.4m; medical expenses, N7.4m; and loss of foreign exchange, N8.7m.

Also, the sum of N28.7m is budgeted for purchase of motor vehicles; computers, N6.7m; gaming equipment, N20.26m; security equipment, N15.4m; industrial equipment, N3.7m; and provision of fire fighting station N9.43m among others, which include newspapers, periodical, printing of security and non security documents, instructional materials, stationery and computer consumables.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had in November put the number of aircraft in the Presidential fleet at 10.

He had said in a statement that between May and November this year, the sum of N2.1bn had been spent on the presidential fleet.

Buhari had, while presenting the budget to the lawmakers, said he would ensure that the nation's resources were prudently managed for the public good.

Source: punch