According to the 2023, other things to be catered for the fund are stationery, telephone and electricity in the Presidential Villa.According to the 2023, other things to be catered for the fund are stationery, telephone and electricity in the Presidential Villa.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw N14.8 billion earmarked to be spent on Internet access and others.
According to the 2023, other things to be catered for the fund are stationery, telephone and electricity in the Presidential Villa.
This comes amid an ailing economic situation and heavy indebtedness by the government.
The Debt Management Office disclosed in September that Nigeria’s total public debt stock under President Buhari increased from N41.60 trillion as of March 2022 to N42.84 trillion as of June of the same year, showing an increase of N1.24 trillion in three months.
The civic group, in a tweet made on Tuesday afternoon, further told the president to reduce frivolous spending to save the scarce resources for better projects that would enhance the socio-economic situation of the country.
"BREAKING: 2023 budget: We urge President Buhari to immediately withdraw the plan to spend N14.8bn on Internet access, stationery, telephone and electricity in the Presidential Villa, and to reduce the spending, given the country’s economic situation and level of borrowing," SERAP wrote.
SaharaReporters reported on Monday that Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (Gafamorg) said the proposed budget deficit of N10.78 trillion in the 2023 budget estimate is clearly not applicable and implementable.
The organisation begged government officials to cut down their bloated personnel cost.
Gafamorg said with a N20.51 trillion budget based on a mono economy system of oil "practiced or adopted" by Nigeria with a projected revenue at N16.87 trillion and N10.78 trillion, it clearly shows that Nigeria is running in deficit.
Gafamorg stated this in a statement issued on Monday signed by its National Chairman and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Babatunde Agunbiade and Comrade Akintunde Adedeji respectively.
It decried that despite the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to make university funding and other sector a priority in the 2023 proposed budget, the N470.10 billion earmarked as proposed budget for universities and other tertiary institutions shows that the government abdicated its responsibilities of governance.
BREAKING: 2023 budget: We urge President Buhari to immediately withdraw the plan to spend N14.8bn on Internet access, stationery,
telephone and electricity in the Presidential Villa, and to reduce the spending, given the country’s economic situation and level of borrowing.— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) October 11, 2022