Peter Obi Expresses Frustration Over Budgetary Allocations

Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has criticised President Bola Tinubu for allocating more funds to himself, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and their aides for trips than the amount allocated to the Police Trust Fund in the 2024 budget.

Obi stated that the President and Vice President will spend about N30 billion on trips from the budget. Tinubu also approved N20 billion for the office of the Chief of Staff for the renovation of the President and Vice President’s offices in Lagos and Abuja, making a total of about N65 billion for trips and renovation.

Obi expressed disappointment and criticism of the budgetary allocations, stating that the office of the President and Vice President, and their aides will be spending over N45 billion for trips alone.

The office of the Chief of Staff budgeted N20 billion for the renovation of the President and Vice President’s offices in Lagos and Abuja, and their full ‘digitization’. If you add N45 billion, being the least that will be spent on transportation, and N20 billion earmarked for renovations, it comes to about N65 billion, which is more than N57 billion, being the amount passed by the Senate last week for the Police Trust Fund to secure over 200 million Nigerians.

Obi suggested that if the budgetary allocations are not of value to growth and productivity, they could order 2,500 4×4 trucks from local manufacturers like Innoson and get a 20% discount, amounting to N62.5 billion for half of the police stations without operational vehicles today.

The N15 billion budgeted for the new residence of the Vice President can be used for fuelling police operational cars by tripling their fuel allowances from N5,000 to N15,000 per day, totaling N13.687 billion.