2017 BUDGET: FG to spend N2.3bn on frivolous maintenance services

According to Vanguard, the Federal Government will spend the sum of N2,278,074,420 on unspecified maintenance services, this year, going by some proposals in the N7.298 trillion 2017 Appropriation Bill currently being considered by the National Assembly.

The figure is the summation of allocations to ‘’Other Maintenance Services’’ (OMS) by various ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

With the code 22020406, allocations to OMS appeared 254 times in the 1,296-page bill.

MDAs that applied for funds for OMS did so after allocating huge sums of money to maintenance of office, office buildings, office furniture, residential quarters, plant/generators and motor vehicle/transport equipment among others.

MDAs that allocated hefty sums to other maintenance services include the Nigeria Prison Services, N394.6 million; Police Formations and Commands, N306 million; Nigeria Army, N252.8 million; Presidential Airfleet in the State House, N120.3 million; Nigerian Navy, N120 million; University of Ibadan, N57 million; and Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, N54.1 million (see table).

The Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, also proposed to spend the sum of N150 million on the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB that has been in the National Assembly for 13 years.

Some MDAs with huge budgets for other maintenance services include Nigerian Prison Service, N394,560,588; Police Formations & Commands, N306,000,000; Nigeria Army, N252,794,721; Nigerian Navy, N120,000,000; State House hdqtrs (SHH), N107,086848; Head of Civil Service N70,827,576; University of Ibadan, N57,000,044; and Power, Works & Housing, N54,126,407.

Others are Min of Education, N38,840,104; Min of Info & Culture, N35,476,295; Min of Health, N35,373,892; Inst. For Culture Orientation, N31,626,431; NUC, N23,912,302; Ministry of Labour & Prod., N21,550,848; Nigerian Airforce, N20,557,860; Dept of Petroleum Resources, N20,460,000; Inst of Oceanography, N20,400,000; Defence Hqtrs, N20,398,784; and Fed Polytechnic, Mubi, N19,078,676.

Also include are Min. Foreign Affairs Hdqtrs, N18,135,688; DSS, N18,000,000; NSCDC, N17,112,000; Budget & Natl. Planning, N16,850,650; Surveyor Gen of the Federation, N13,439,431; Natl identity Mgt Commission, N14,433,780; NSA, N12,498,000; Natl Defence College, N12,319,896; National Gallery of Art, N12,000,000; and Accountant Gen of Federation, N11,990,000.

Other MDAs in this category include Min. Mines & Steel Dev, N11,286,383; Ministry of Justice, N10,893,676; Defence Intelligence School, N10,660,500; Ministry of Interior, N9,900,000; Min. Water Resources, N9,467,856; Defence Intelligence Agency, N9,100,000; Code of Conduct Tribunal, N8,880,000; Fed. Inst. of Industrial Research, N8,820,000; Min of Youths and Sports, N8,777,000; National Population Commission, N7,470,288; and Ministry of Niger-Delta, N7,000,000.

Also included are National Library of Nigeria, N6,412,500; Fed. Coll.of Land Res, Owerri, N5,400,000; Ministry of Transport, N5,000,000; Budget Office of the Fed, N4,747,759; VON, N4,739,328; Nigeria Nuclear Reg. Authority, N3,960,000; Armed Forces Staff & Command College, N3,737,169; Federal Co-operative College, Ibadan, N3,399,797, and others.

Film & Video Censor Board, N3,295,152; BPP, N3,191,005; Ministry of Sc. & Tech, N3,125,000; Neuro Psychiatrist Hosp, Sokoto, N3,043,475; and Ministry of Defence, N3,038,004

Source: Vanguard