News Update :Buhari Government Budgeted Over N1.5Billion In 5 years For Purchase, Maintenance Of Generators At State House
A review of proposed national budgets by President Muhammadu Buhari's administration has revealed that in five years, the Presidency budgeted an estimated sum of N1,553,865,686 for the purchase and maintenance of generators for the State House, also known as Aso Villa or Presidential Villa.
The information is from budgets submitted to the National Assembly by the Buhari Presidency for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021.
A breakdown of the budget revealed that a total of N244,144,531 representing 15.7% of the N1,553,865,686 was earmarked in 2016 for the purchase and maintenance of generators at the State House in Abuja.
Out of the over two hundred million allocated in 2016, the Presidency budgeted N55,000,000 on the purchase of power generating sets while N59,867,327 was set aside for the maintenance of power generators. It also included a sum of N129,277,204 for power generating fuel cost in the State House.
Also in 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari budgeted N436,308,004 from which about N56,112,848 was proposed for the maintenance of generating sets while N254,053,304 was allocated for the fuelling of the power generating sets. A sum of N120 million was also budgeted for the purchase of new generating sets.
SaharaReporters gathered that in 2018, N64,600,939 was proposed out of which over N19 million was appropriated for the maintenance of generators and more than N26 million for fuel cost.
The Nigerian government had also planned to use an estimated N16 million for the purchase of a new set of generators for the State House.
In 2019 only, the Nigerian government had presented before the National Assembly, a sum of N299,999,461 equivalent to 19% of the five years generator budgets for the State House.
The breakdown showed that more than N90 million was proposed for the maintenance of power supply equipment only within the State House while over N100 million was set aside for fuelling the power generating equipment.
President Buhari also in the 2019 budget, appropriated over N30 million for the purchase of a new set of generators.
The Nigerian government in 2021 budgeted N10 million for the purchase of another set of generators, more than N100 million for maintenance of those generating sets, and a sum of N320, 136,796 for the fuelling of the generators.
Meanwhile, the breakdown of the budget proposals on power supply to the State House has revealed that from time to time, the federal government had often planned exorbitant amounts for the supply of electricity.
President Buhari had promised to fix the problem of power supply in the country.
Buhari in 2016 set a target of delivering 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation in the next three years.
But after spending over six years in office, Nigeria has failed to meet the target.
The president, who stated this while addressing the National Economic Council retreat held at the State House, Abuja, said, “Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country. But, ladies and gentlemen, it is no longer a laughing matter. We must and by the grace of God, we will put things right.
“In the three years left for this administration, we have given ourselves the target of ten thousand megawatts distributable power. In 2016 alone, we intend to add two thousand megawatts to the national grid.”
News AddThis : Original Author : saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements :