Special Adviser to the President, Bayo Onanuga has cleared the air on the controversies surrounding the N5bn presidential yacht included in the state budget.
It's been six months since the swearing-in of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and most Nigerians do not appear pleased with his decision making. From the subsidy removal to the increase in student school fees and the inflation of prices of goods and services, Nigerians have expressed their utmost disappointment and frustrations.
Few days ago, the internet and TV were filled with various headlines reporting that the president is about to acquire a presidential yacht worth five billion naira and some exotic cars worth N6bn for the "first lady's office". This got Nigerians furious as they took to social media to air their views on the issue.
As a result, the special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga took to his X page to address the throbbing issue. Onanuga stated that it has become a pattern for news outlets and certain individuals to twist the words of politicians and spread a narrative to the public.
He said due to the misinformation of the reporters, the general public are confused and left with false information. Onanuga clarified that the yacht to be purchased is on the supplementary budget and it was requested for by the Navy. He said the vehicles added to the budget are for the state house.
Onanuga said the president didn't request for a presidential yacht and he doesn't need one to perform his duties. He stated that for the Navy to request for a yacht, they must have some operational reasons for why it is required. He expressed that the budget office should also explain to the public why such purchases should be made despite the present economic situation in the country. He said the reason why the country's budgeting system has always been under attack is because of the simple manner at which the huge numbers are called.
Citing a close example of what happened in 2016, he stated, "Sometimes in 2016, an Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP) project of the Ministry of Solid Minerals worth over N300m then was captured in that year's budget as "website". Naturally, it generated a massive controversy as people, rightly, asked to know the type of website that will be built with 300 Million."
Bayo Onanuga stated that it is poor reporting to always reduce State House budgetary provisions to the President and Vice President alone. He said there are various people who benefit from this provision.
He explained, "A President and Vice President cannot, for any reason, spend N20 million naira to eat in a year if it is about the food they will eat as first and second families. How much food can a person really eat? Yet, we will read headlines that Tinubu, Buhari, Jonathan or whoever the President is wants to spend 5 Billion on food and catering in a year.
In actual fact such budgetary provisions are made to accommodate many state events, meetings, hosting of VIPs, foreign dignitaries, and even visits by other Head of States, and of bilateral and multilateral meetings that the State House will deal with in a given year."
It's been six months since the swearing-in of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and most Nigerians do not appear pleased with his decision making. From the subsidy removal to the increase in student school fees and the inflation of prices of goods and services, Nigerians have expressed their utmost disappointment and frustrations.
Few days ago, the internet and TV were filled with various headlines reporting that the president is about to acquire a presidential yacht worth five billion naira and some exotic cars worth N6bn for the "first lady's office". This got Nigerians furious as they took to social media to air their views on the issue.
As a result, the special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga took to his X page to address the throbbing issue. Onanuga stated that it has become a pattern for news outlets and certain individuals to twist the words of politicians and spread a narrative to the public.
He said due to the misinformation of the reporters, the general public are confused and left with false information. Onanuga clarified that the yacht to be purchased is on the supplementary budget and it was requested for by the Navy. He said the vehicles added to the budget are for the state house.
Onanuga said the president didn't request for a presidential yacht and he doesn't need one to perform his duties. He stated that for the Navy to request for a yacht, they must have some operational reasons for why it is required. He expressed that the budget office should also explain to the public why such purchases should be made despite the present economic situation in the country. He said the reason why the country's budgeting system has always been under attack is because of the simple manner at which the huge numbers are called.
Citing a close example of what happened in 2016, he stated, "Sometimes in 2016, an Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP) project of the Ministry of Solid Minerals worth over N300m then was captured in that year's budget as "website". Naturally, it generated a massive controversy as people, rightly, asked to know the type of website that will be built with 300 Million."
Bayo Onanuga stated that it is poor reporting to always reduce State House budgetary provisions to the President and Vice President alone. He said there are various people who benefit from this provision.
He explained, "A President and Vice President cannot, for any reason, spend N20 million naira to eat in a year if it is about the food they will eat as first and second families. How much food can a person really eat? Yet, we will read headlines that Tinubu, Buhari, Jonathan or whoever the President is wants to spend 5 Billion on food and catering in a year.
In actual fact such budgetary provisions are made to accommodate many state events, meetings, hosting of VIPs, foreign dignitaries, and even visits by other Head of States, and of bilateral and multilateral meetings that the State House will deal with in a given year."
