Emerging details of this year’s budget proposals indicate that the Presidency has proposed to spend N574m on food in 2011. When this total is spread over the 365 days in 2011, the average amount that the Presidency will spend on food per day is a little over N1.57m.
The N574m is N168.7m more than the N405.3m spent by the same office on ‘food stuff supplies’ in 2010. However, the 2010 figure is exclusive of the sum expended on foods eaten during summits. A separate sub-head for “meals/entertainment” for summits held at the State House last year totalled N73m.
It (N574m) is also part of the N13.9bn that will be used to fund sub-heads and the overhead cost of the State House or Presidential Villa.
The details, which our correspondent obtained on Monday, showed that the rehabilitation of the State House Guest House in the Marina, Lagos, would cost N1.2bn.
Similarly, “residential furniture” items for the Presidency are to be purchased for a whopping N1.1bn this year.
The furnishing of Vice-President’s two guest houses — one in Asokoro and the other called “Aguda House,”— will cost N500m.
The furniture for the guest house in Asokoro will cost N100m, while that of Aguda House will consume N400m.
Incidentally, the lounge of Aguda Guest House was extended in 2010 for N50m. Another guest house was also furnished for the Vice-President’s use in 2010 for N50m.
This year, the “purchase of canteen/kitchen equipment” for the Presidential Villa will also gulp N553.6m.
Further details of the 2011 budget estimates showed that out of the N553.6m, N150m will be used to fund “household equipment and materials for the Vice-President’s office.”
However, in 2010, a provision of N240m was made for the purchase of office, household and kitchen equipment for Asokoro Guest House.
Other details show that the Director of Protocol to the Vice-President, his Aide- De- Camp, and other aides are to be housed in new official quarters to cost N560m in 2011.
Dodan Barracks in Lagos will also benefit from the presidential renovation in 2011, as it has a provision of N400m in the budget.
President Goodluck Jonathan presented a N4.23tn budget to the National Assembly for approval on December 15.
The sum comprises N198.12bn for statutory transfers, N542.32bn for debt service; N2,481.71tn for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure; and N1,005.9tn for capital expenditure.
The government also earmarked the sum of N347.2bn for critical infrastructure development.
This includes capital allocations of N86.25bn for power; N20.74bn for Aviation; N10.27bn for petroleum resources; N136.88bn for works; N48.9bn for transport; N44.18bn for the Federal Capital Territory; N35.01bn for education; N33.35bn for health; N29.46bn for agricultural development; and N24.76bn for water resources.
