The Labour Party (LP) presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi,a has again screamed at the quantum of waste going on in the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Mr. Obi, who just chastised the regime for the large size of over 1400 delegates it took to COP28 as wasteful, again lampooned the administration for proposing over N20 billion for the renovation and building of a new office space for the Vice President.
The LP standard bearer said he is still studying the N27.5 trillion budget presented to the National Assembly last week, but could not wait to wonder at the level of waste on nonessential things when the people are suffering and dropping into multi-dimensional poverty in droves.
Reacting in his X handle on Monday Obi said “Even as I am still studying the 2024 fiscal budget as presented to the National Assembly last week, I cannot wait as am compelled to ask what is exactly wrong with us as a country.
“I ask this question because it is hard for me to understand some of the recent happenings in our nation, in these critical times.
“The recent news about a budget provision of N15 billion for the construction of a new residence for the Vice President is both shocking and disheartening, considering the many important challenges facing our nation.”
Obi recalled that “just recently in the Supplementary Budget, the sum of N2.5 billion was included for the renovation of the Vice President’s residence in Abuja, which means that he already has a residence.
“Again, during the budget presentation, I heard the sum of N3 billion was allocated for the renovation of the Vice President’s residence in Lagos.
“If we total all these sums, we would have budgeted the sum of N20.5 billion for the housing of the Vice President at this critical time when we are not just the world’s poverty capital, but more people falling into poverty, with so many Nigerians not knowing where their next meal will come from”
“Our health facilities have collapsed, and unemployment is skyrocketing.
“I am convinced that 99.9% of Nigerians can only dream of living in the current residence of the Vice President.”
The LP standard bearer also noted that everal people employed in the universities are not being paid.
He said: “Just to give an example, the salary of a professor in a Nigerian university is about N400,000, which without removing tax is about N5 million a year.
“What we have budgeted for the housing of the Vice President who is already luxuriously housed is, therefore, the annual salary of about 3000 professors!
“This is the finance needed to develop the much-needed human capital.
“The budget of N5 billion for student loans, which is yet to be disbursed is only a tiny percentage of the cost of the Vice President’s new home.”
According to the former Anambra state Governor, “we are projecting to use four times the amount for educating ALL Nigerian indigent students to house the Vice President, and we are being told there is nothing wrong with us”
“I am sure the major teaching hospitals in Nsukka, Lagos, Ibadan, and Zaria did not receive this much capital vote in the budget this year.
“We have had leaders that were exemplary in the past.
“Most Nigerians may not know that the popular 1004 flats in Lagos, was land allocated for the building of a Presidential Mansion for the then Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed but he sternly turned down the offer and instructed that the land should be used to build blocks of flats for civil servants.
“That is the kind of sacrificial leadership worth emulating.
“Our leaders must therefore stop the recklessness and insensitivity to the plight of the masses.
“We need leaders who show compassion and are willing to sacrifice for common progress and development.
“Such compassionate and frugal leaders are critical in our journey to the New Nigeria,” he added.
Meanwhile, Obi said Nigeria’s huge delegation of 1,411 to the United Nations COP 28 at Dubai is a continuation of the culture of waste which APC administration has become infamous for.
He noted: “It is sad that a government which has been preaching to Nigerians to tighten their belts and sacrifice for the economy to pick up; is involved in this wasteful venture.
“There is no moral justification for the Federal Government of Nigeria to deplete our scarce foreign reserves to sponsor over 1,411 persons on what is the obviously a shopping spree for cronies and government apologists.
“Why would a government which is currently engaged in approaching lenders to borrow money to pay salaries and meet other obligations embark on such a waste?
“The answer is not far fetched, this government is not interested in the wellbeing of citizens.
“It is only interested in satisfying the luxurious lifestyles of those in power and those close to it.
“Nigeria has diplomatic ties with the UAE, we have an embassy, trained and efficient diplomats who if allowed to do their jobs, can provide all the support Mr. President and the ministers of Trade and Investment as well as Foreign Affairs and a number of captains of industries need to fully represent Nigeria at the summit.
“But no. This wasteful administration must fulfill the fantasies of its cronies who are in a constant look out for opportunities to waste public funds.
“The Naira is today trading at over N1,200 to $USD 1, the 2024 budget recently submitted to the National Assembly does not inspire confidence because it lacks any ounce of seriousness to provide the necessary atmosphere to support small businesses and stimulate the economy for growth.
“Inflation is at all time high the security situation is dire with killings, kidnappings and all forms of violence being unleashed on Nigerians by non-state actors.
“This administration and its officials appear not to have a clue as to what to do to deal with these challenges but take every opportunity to hop on planes at tax payers expense to escape from the country under the guise of looking for direct foreign investments.”
As our presidential candidate in the 2023 election Mr. Peter Obi, has always said, we must end this culture of waste and improve our capacity for production in order to compete at the global stage.
His words: “We must begin to look inwards to improve our productivity by supporting local businesses, cut the cost of governance and operate a lean bureaucracy in order to ensure Nigerians get real value for money.
“Then and only then can we be on the path of real growth.”
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