While the Nigerian masses wallow in hard living conditions, the federal government has set aside ₦13,805,814,220 for the maintenance of former presidents, vice presidents, chiefs of state, Chiefs of General Staff, retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and retired heads of government agencies and parastatals in the fiscal year 2024.
This development is against the fact that these categories of citizens could cater for themselves from their earned income.
Among those who will benefit from this budgetary provision are former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari are among those who will benefit, as well as ex-vice presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
Ex-military heads of state, General Yakubu Gowon, General Abdusalami Abubakar, General Ibrahim Babangida, and a former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, will also gain from the windfall.
A breakdown shows that the entitlements of former presidents/heads of States and vice presidents/chief of general staff will cost ₦2.3 billion, while ₦10.5 billion is proposed as benefits for retired heads of service, permanent secretaries and professors.
The payment of severance benefits to retired heads of government agencies and parastatals is proposed to cost ₦1 billion.
In addition, ₦1 trillion has been set aside for public service wage adjustments for government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (including arrears of promotion and salary increases, as well as payment of severance benefits and minimum wage-related adjustments).
The entitlements of past presidents/leaders of states and vice presidents/chiefs of general staff will cost ₦2.3 billion, while retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and professors will cost ₦10.5 billion.
Severance payments to retiring heads of government agencies and parastatals are estimated to cost ₦1 billion.
Other fundings include ₦65 billion for the Presidential Amnesty Programme to reintegrate transformed ex-militants, ₦1 billion for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Energy, and ₦108 billion for unspecified special projects.
The government is also proposing a sum of ₦40 billion to offset electricity arrears due by all MDAs to power distribution firms.
The item listed as ‘Settlement of MDAs’ electricity debts’, was contained in the sectoral allocation details released by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Solomon Adeola.
According to Adeola, the details of the budget have been released to allay the fears of lawmakers and Nigerians.
He noted that the details had been circulated to allow lawmakers to study and see the allocations to various sectors.
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