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Madam Dora Akunyili and her colleagues
in government have come to the
conclusion that Nigerians are zombies
who would take everything that comes out
of the mouth of government officials
hook line and sinker.
Here is a brief background. The
government of President Goodluck
Jonathan sent a budget proposal of 10
billion Naira to the Nigerian National
Assembly. The money is not for the
maintenance of roads or to equip
hospitals in the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, neither is any significant
portion of it to help the
underprivileged or the educational
sector - it is a budget meant for the
celebration of Nigeria ’s 50th
Independence anniversary on the 1st
of October 2010.
In the world of President Jonathan and
the unwise men and women who seat in
council chambers of the federal
executive, all is so well with Nigeria
that we can afford to flush money down
the toilet or simply throw it in river
Niger and let it flow through the length
and breadth of the river bank.
Well, we may all blame the presidency
for the outrageous budget but is the
presidency not a reflection of the
culture of waste, noise, idiocy and
extravagance that is part and parcel of
our psyche in Nigeria? A larger
proportion of the Nigerian middle class
would spend money to bury and re-bury a
departed relative; they would not
hesitate to overindulge in a naming
ceremony or 50th birthday
celebration.
Do not even let us get started on
weddings! We always have an excuse to
celebrate and squander money. Our
priorities are not well laid out. We
reward hard work with disdain and
corrupt people with accolades and
national honours as we fancy. Why blame
the federal government, are we not as
guilty as those in Abuja? I have been
informed that some members of the civil
society are queuing up for a share of
the 10 billion naira windfall, attending
Dora Akunyuli’s consultative meetings,
event managers have relocated to Abuja
and very soon importers of the famous
This day Dome will be smiling to the
bank, Hurray we will be creating new
millionaires and thanks giving in Church
will sky rocket.
Do we ever reflect? Ask ourselves ‘do I
really need that third car? Do I need
the 4th mobile phone? Must I
take that weekend trip to Dubai just to
gather more gold and trinkets? Do I need
to spoil my child with another designer
outfit though I bought them one less
than 4 weeks ago? So many questions we
refuse to ask ourselves and it is that
thoughtless way of spending that is
reflective in those who govern us.
As we spend and waste money, we are
“blessed” with millions who starve,
hardworking Nigerians who live on under
$1 a day, did we not see the BBC
programme welcome to Lagos? Cant the
presidency listen and take it home that
we have nothing to celebrate?
So President Goodluck Jonathan and his
fellow travellers are still amazed at
our disdain and reaction for wanting to
give Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan 50
million naira to visit special homes,
orphanages, prisons, and selected
hospitals. 20 million naira to organise
a party for 1,000 children who will
probably be sons and daughters of those
in public service, and guess what, Madam
Dora Akunyili’s Ministry of Information
and Communications gets N1.2 billion
naira for the “insertion of special
reports on Nigeria in both local and
international media” Another N320
million naira will be spent on jingles,
adverts, billboards, documentary and
publicity.
No wonder Dora came out in her disgrace
of a press conference to defend the 10
billion scandalous budget and lay the
blame on late President Musa Umaru
Yar’Adua. Even if it was Yar’Adua who
gave the approval for the outrageous
budget, is he holding the hands of
Goodluck from reviewing it and coming
out with something austere and
reflective of the current financial
crisis we find ourselves? Did the
Goodluck government not just apply for a
$915m loan from the World Bank?
Granted the terms of the loan may be
good but the reason for the cynicism is
that in Nigeria, ‘loans’ tend to
disappear with little to show in the
form of development of social benefits!
It is in Nigeria you see hospitals
commissioned without staff or services
in place, half finished roads ‘opened’
by the president, and numerous abandoned
projects. Why would we be optimistic
about ‘new’ loans? Dora should save us
all the hue and cry about cabals being
responsible for everything going wrong
in the current government - Nigerians
resisted the cabal, Goodluck is the
president now, he must demonstrate
transparency and stop every effort to
scandalise his government.
Do we have human beings in government at
all? Do they think the way we think? Are
they aliens from an unknown planet? The
Goodluck presidency had better think
twice and send the 10 billion-naira
budget to a well deserved graveyard. We
know politicians are desperate to raise
funds for the 2011 election but do we
also have to pay for them to further
send Nigerians to the land of no return?
As for the members of the civil society
who seat in “consultative forums”
towards the planning and so called
successful hosting of a 50 years jubilee
celebration, every kobo you collect to
partake in the fraud make you as
culpable as those who send the budget to
the National Assembly.
The 50 years golden jubilee should be a
moment for sober reflection and not an
opportunity for the presidency to create
jobs for the boys and girls and make new
millionaires of friends, concubines,
relatives and political associates. The
proposal as published below is a shame
and out of order. Mr Goodluck Jonathan,
Nigerians are running out of patience
and you may soon lose all the goodwill.
A word can only be good for a listening
President.
Itemised 10 billion naira Budget
Proposal for 50 years celebration.
1. Anniversary parade including march
past, fleet review and aerial display -
N950 million.
2. National unity torch tour - N350
million.
Special visit to special homes,
orphanages, prisons and hospitals - N50
million
3. Special session of the National
Children Parliament - N20 million
4. Party for 1000 children - N20 million
5. Presidential banquet - N40 million
6. Calisthenics performance - N50
million
7. Cultural, historical and military
exhibitions N310 million
8. Food week - N40 million
9. Secretariat equipment, accommodation,
logistics and utilities - N320 million
10. Designing and unveiling of the 50th
anniversary logo - N30 million
11. Special reports on Nigeria in both
local and international media - N1.2
billion
12. Jingles, adverts, billboards,
documentary and publicity - N320 million
13. Accommodation and Transportation of
guests - N700 million
14. Production of branded souvenirs and
gift items for foreign heads of state
and erection of a coat of arms on Aso
Rock - N450 million
15. Variety gala night and fireworks -
N210 million
16. International friendly football
match and local competition - N200
million
17. Event managers and producers - N120
million naira.
18. Designing and publication of a
compendium on Nigeria - N400 million,
19. Compendium on the legislature - N150
million
20. Compendium on the judiciary - N50
million.
21. Commissioning of the golden jubilee
plaza - N10 million naira;
22. Designing, construction and mounting
of Tower of Unity in the 36 states of
the Federation - N540 million.
23. Debates, essays, conferences,
lectures, and a colloquium - N150
million;
24. Musical concerts and carnivals in
the 6 geo-political zones - N60 million;
25. Durbar, masquerades and cultural
dances - N100 million and
26. Designing and construction of 10
monuments of the founding fathers - N80
million.
27. A memory stone at the Tafawa Balewa
Square , Lagos will consume - N40
million,
28. Security and protocol - N500 million
29. Medicals - N25 million
30. Miscellaneous - N105 Million. |
