2014: Jonathan, Sambo’s trips to gulp N2.47bn

 

President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

The Presidency will next year spend N2.466bn on the foreign and local trips of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

Jonathan alone will spend N2.4bn on travels and transport while Sambo will spend N67m.

These are contained in the details of the 2014 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly last week by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on behalf of the President.

A further breakdown of the sum shows that Jonathan will spend N1.159bn on international travels and transport
while he will spend N1.219bn on local travel, and transport.

On his part, Sambo will spend about N29m on local travels and transport and N39m on  international travel, and transport.

These figures are apart from the N239.8m (N124m for foreign and N115m for local) that is budgeted for travels and transport for the State House itself.

In 2012, N684.74m was budgeted for Jonathan’s foreign travels while N1.289bn was earmarked for the same purpose in 2013.

A sharp increase was observed in the sum budgeted for the President’s trips notwithstanding the promise he made on the heels of the protest that trailed the fuel subsidy removal in 2012 that his foreign trips would be reduced drastically.

“I have directed that overseas travels by all political office-holders, including the President, should be reduced to the barest minimum. The size of delegations on foreign trips will also be drastically reduced; only trips that are absolutely necessary will be approved,” the President had said.

Apart from the travel costs, a total of N483.279m was also budgeted for the maintenance of motor vehicles/transport equipment in the President’s office.

While Jonathan will spend N426.493m on publicity and advertisements under miscellaneous subhead, N56.786m will be spent on the President’s medical expenses.

Sambo will be spending N80m on office stationery.

While he will also spend N23.9m on foodstuffs/catering material supplies, his refreshment and meals will gulp N10.8m.

Although, the cost of the President’s meal was not clearly stated,  N162.5m was allocated to refreshment and meals for the State House.

N122.9m was allocated to fuel and lubricant. Under this category, plant/generator fuel cost gets N33.5m; cooking gas/fuel cost gets N9.4m and motor vehicle fuel cost gets N79.9m.

Honorarium and sitting allowance will gulp N320m, medical expenses -N29.4m; postage and courier service -N4.6m; welfare package -N267.8m; subscription to professional bodies -N2.1m and sporting activities -N15m.

In all, the Presidency’s total allocation under the 2014 budget is N33bn consisting of N12.8bn personnel cost; N12.2bn overheads; and N8.9bn capital cost.