Under intense public pressure and economic uncertainties, President Goodluck Jonathan has repeatedly been committed to limiting the nation’s perennially outsized cost of governance, proposing austerity guidelines and approving budget cuts.
But critics point out that the president, ironically, currently superintends over some of the nation’s highest relative budget raises in 2011, with the running cost of his first constituency – the State House – reaching a new high.
For more than a decade since the return of democracy – save for a year under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration – budget variations for the seat of government have oscillated between 20 percent and 30 percent. It usually includes footing bills ranging from the maintenance of presidential aircraft, to keeping a safari park.
From the highest at N26.48 billion in 2005 under Mr Obasanjo, the total annual cost of the State House slumped to N10.52 billion in 2009 and rose slightly to N12.78 billion in 2010, according to an analysis of federal budget outlays since 2000.
For this year, the State House is spending N20.01 billion, a 56.53 percent rise from that of 2010, and the highest amount since 2005.
In detailed budgets, the State House, somewhat like a parastatal under the presidency, had N19.52 billion in 2006; N14.95 billion for 2007; N15.62 billion for 2008; N10.52 billion for 2009; N12.78 billion for 2010 and N20.01 billion for 2011.
Predictably, the huge raise for this year has drawn the ire of federal lawmakers who, with their appropriating powers, hardly question those details during passage.
The legislators, who have been battling public outrage at their own spending, say the budget buttresses their claim that they have for years borne the brunt of what they said was executive-instigated public anger over their earnings, whereas the other arms are as guilty or worse.
“The legislature has been so derided by comments coming from the executive, making us to be seen by Nigerians as people who are all about money, when there are even more serious issues in the other arms,” said Abimbola Daramola, a House of Representatives member from Ekiti State.
To many legislators, the executive arm cuts the picture of self-acclaimed puritan despite often failing in its promise to reduce governance cost in favour of developmental spending, yet swift at directing public rage at the legislature.
“We need to be rational, we need to come back to earth with the cost of running government,” said Emmanuel Ugbuaja, the secretary general of the Nigeria Labour Congress. “Clearly, the problem is not paying civil servants; the problem is paying political office holders. If they must earn, it must be drastically reduced. We are backing a reduction of cost of governance.”
Cost of governance
Largely inspired by statement from Mr Jonathan and his aides, concerns over rising cost of governance now shape public perception of political office holders almost more than any other time. But analysts say there seems to be little improvement.
“Consider the large entourage that goes with the president when he travels and remember that each of those people will earn a public money, then it becomes clearer how frivolous we get by the day,” said Anietie Umoren, who leads an online pressure group on Facebook group, called Reduce Your Cabinet Mr President.
Presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, promised to send in a response to this story, but did not do so at press time.
Generally, state house budgets tell stories of subtle contradictions. In one breathe, they showcase a required frugality for a seat of power, and in another, they include questionable sub-heads, projects and figures that keep reoccurring on the budget each other year.
For instance, over the years, the annual cost of maintaining the presidential quarters and offices cost averagely N1.2 billion each year. For this year, the amount has reached its highest at a little over N2 billion. Also, while the furnishing of three Guest Houses for the Vice President got N20 million each in 2008, one of the apartments at Asokoro is receiving N88.39 million in 2011.
This year’s budget remarkably did not include the maintenance of presidential aircraft – usually one of the recipients of major allocation annually – but it retained the high local and international travel cost as well as yearly purchases of new computers, vehicles and printing equipment.
“The government must stop frivolous spending and make life meaningful to its citizens. It must channel that money into meaningful development,” Mr Umoren said.
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