OUTRAGEOUS: Jonathan To Spend N33.5 Million On Newspapers In 2013?

The federal government has earmarked the sum of N33,538,541 for newspapers and magazines in 2013 fiscal year.

Also, the sum of N1,035,319,145 would be used for international travels in next year.

Out of the budgeted amount, the State House will spend N14,471,035,290, while organisations under the presidency will share the balance of N21,074,538,012.

Details of the budget presented to the joint sitting of the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan showed that the Aso Rock would spend N1,510,196,766 on personnel; N7,476,942,490 on overhead and N8,987,139,260 as recurrent expenditure.

In 2013, N7,476,942 would be spent on local travels, transport and training; N1,035,319,145 on international travels while 783,893,950 would be spent on foodstuff and refreshment.

Also, N133,175,453 was proposed for purchase and maintenance of generating sets; N19,250,000 on books; N2,879,000,000 on repair and renovation of buildings; N95,890,530 on computer software and N148,105,373 on electricity charges.

For organisations under the presidency, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) would get N435,576,907; Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), N2,969,674,599; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), N9,328,135,023; NEITI, N953,889,454; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), N1,302,722,111; Boundary Commission, N796,972,338, while the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission would receive N2,776,896,310.

It will be recalled that President Jonathan, while presenting the 2013 budget, christened: “Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth,” said the goal was to help attain government’s vision of making Nigeria one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2020.

He said the 2013 budget was also built on the efforts to improve on how government’s businesses were being done.

To achieve the task of providing jobs for Nigerians and boost development of infrastructure, the budget provided more funding in the priority sectors, which included power, transportation, water, agriculture and security.

Other key allocations in the budget under reference are: works, N183.5 billion; power, N74.26 billion; education, N426.53 billion; health, N279.23 billion; defence, N348.91 billion; police, N319.65 billion, while and agriculture and rural development would take N81.41 billion.