The Presidency has refuted reports claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration included an allocation of funds in the 2023 supplementary budget for the purchase of a presidential yacht worth N5.095 billion.
According to a statement by Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, the yacht was actually requested by the Nigerian Navy, not President Tinubu.
Ajayi clarified, “It is important to state clearly that President Bola Tinubu did not ask for a presidential yacht, and I doubt he needs one to perform the functions of his office.”
He emphasized that the request for a yacht was made by the Navy, and the budget office should be able to provide the operational reasons for its inclusion in the budget.
Ajayi also addressed the way budget line items are sometimes described by civil servants, highlighting that the budgeting system has faced criticism due to the simplistic terminology used in budget descriptions.
He gave an example of how an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project was described as “website” in a previous budget, which led to confusion.
Moreover, Ajayi emphasised the need for responsible journalism and urged reporters to avoid reducing State House budgetary provisions to the President and Vice President.
He explained that budgetary provisions for food, vehicles, and catering services are often inaccurately portrayed as if they are solely for the personal consumption of the President and Vice President.
In reality, these provisions cover various state events, meetings, visits by VIPs and foreign dignitaries, and other functions that the State House is responsible for throughout the year.
Source: The Guardian