Budget 2016: N5bln embarked for Osibanjo, Saraki, Dogara's official residences

Breakdown from the 2016 Budget indicate that a combined sum of 5 billion naira has been budgeted for the purpose of providing official residences to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

According to the breakdown N3, 145, 185, 569 is set aside for “design and construction of the Vice President’s residence, ADC residence, Security quarters, site clearing and earthworks, road works, street lighting, outstanding liability, drainages.”

N502.5m is allocated for “site clearance and earthworks, outstanding liabilities, general items and miscellaneous works” at the Senate President’s complex and N200, 694, 435 for “consultancy payments and outstanding liabilities” in respect of the building.

The FCTA is also scheduled to spend N1, 035, 652, 770 on the construction of the official residence for House of Representatives Speaker Dogara who currently lives in his private house in Abuja.

Besides, the FCTA will spend N437, 090, 600 on the purchase of residential accommodation for World Health Organisation (WHO) senior staff in addition to N3, 024, 182, 305 for the reconstruction of the United Nations building in Abuja which was attacked by Boko Haram a few years ago.

It was also gathered that the State House Medical Centre (SHMC) will be provided with an equipment costing N3. 9 billion in the New Year, according to the 2016 budget estimates.

A total of N3, 219, 555 is earmarked for the procurement of the unnamed medical equipment.

A separate N308m is to be spent on the construction of a new VIP wing at the State House Medical Centre in Abuja while the extension of the Dental Wing in the SHMC is projected to gulp N27m.

Besides, the upgrading of wired and wireless network at the State House’ medical facility will cost N29m besides the N114m budget for the general cost of upgrading of the State House’ internet infrastructure.

Also in the budget is the planned purchase of audio-visual equipment for presidential coverage estimated to cost N50 million.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly is yet to make public details of its planned expenditure for the New Year contrary to a promise by Senate President Saraki to do so.

Between 2011 and 2015, the National Assembly’s budgetary allocation always hovered around N150 billion per year but the breakdown was never made public.

“Details of 2016 Budget will be made available and open for public debate and scrutiny”, Saraki had stated in one of his recent tweets.