From Uche Usim, Abuja
The State House, Nigeria’s seat of power, is to spend N28 billion out of the N2.176 trillion 2023 supplementary budget recently submitted to the House of Representatives by President Bola Tinubu.
A breakdown of the N28 billion shows that the presidency will spend N5.8 billion for the purchase of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and the replacement of its operational pool vehicles.
It has also earmarked N4 billion for the construction of a fresh office complex at the State House.
Another N4 billion was earmarked for the renovation of the presidential quarters for president Tinubu.
Purchase of vehicles for the office of the first lady would gulp N1.5 billion, while N3 billion is for the renovation of the Lagos official quarters of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
N4 billion is for the renovation of Dodan Barracks in Lagos.
The renovation of Aguda House in Lagos is to gulp N2.5 billion.
N200 million is for the computerization and digitization of the state house.
N1.5 billion is for the acquisition, renovation and rehabilitation of two EFCC forfeited quarters as State house complex in Mabushi.
Another N1.5 billion is for a similar facility in Guzape.
With regards to Defence Ministry’s N476,543 billion, N90,425,157,135 has been earmarked for the Nigerian Army’s special intervention to upscale operations across the country.
The Presidency also allocated N5 billion to pay the outstanding Group Life Assurance to deceased Army personnel from 2011-2023, while N95,198,690,938 was budgeted for the Nigerian Army’s capital projects. It is also budgeting N41,186,083,814 for the 50 per cent balance payment to Messr Baykar Makina Sanayi Ticaret A.S Turkey of TB2 UAS, among other projects.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to get a slice of N100 billion from the supplementary budget.
Out of that figure, procurement of security vehicles and equipment would gulp N3,497,850,000.
Completion of roads B6, B12 & circle road, Abuja Central Area, according to the budget would cost N9 billion.
Construction of the Southern parkway from Christian Centre (S8/9) to Ring road) I (RRI) has a budget of N5 billion. The rehabilitation of the federal secretariat plot 03 (phase I) has a budget of N4 billion.
N13,762,500,000 is for the “renovation and completion and critical infrastructure”.
N10,628,764,669 is for the resurfacing of the existing road and remedial works on bridge Wuse-1, garki, maitama and asokoro, among others.