BEVERLY HILLS, January 10, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has approved N280.1m cash payments to former Presidents and Heads of State in 2017 to buy cars.
The beneficiaries include Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.); and Chief Ernest Shonekan.
This was contained in a government presented in Abuja on Tuesday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Governmental Affairs.
The vehicles, worth N280.1m, were to be purchased for them directly by the government but it decided to monetise the purchases by offering cash to them to buy vehicles of their choice.
Out of the money, N40m had already been released, but final releases would tally at “100 per cent.”
The document also added that the procurement of the vehicles for the former VPs is “ongoing.” as vehicles worth N120m were approved to be purchased for former Vice-Presidents.
The former Vice-Presidents include Abubakar Atiku, Mr. Sambo Dasuki, the late Alex Ekwueme and all former Chiefs of General Staff.
Mustapha appeared before the Committee, Chaired by Husseini Suleiman-Kanagiwa, to review the 2017 budget of his office and defend the estimates for 2018.
The document also indicated that President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Ministers and other political appointees were paid salaries totalling N3.4bn in 2017.
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