The Senate, on Monday, queried the Presidency over N1.3 billion budgeted for food stuffs and refreshment, including the purchase of computers and furniture, describing it as outrageous.Out of the amount, N293 million was set aside for refreshment, N500 million for food- stuffs, N265 million for computers and N295 million for furniture for no specific office.This issue came up during the 2012 budget defence by the Permanent Secretary, State House, Dr Tunji Olaopa, before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs. A member of the committee, Senator Isa Galadu, said, 'the huge allocation for foodstuffs in a country where 70 per cent lives below a dollar per day and 90 per cent below two dollars per day is outright outrageous. I do not understand why you have allocated N293 million for refreshment, apart from the foodstuffs allocation.'The chairman of the committee, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, also demanded explanations from Mr Olaopa on why he planned to spend N265 million on computers.Kuta also asked why the State House planned to spend N295 million on furniture for an unspecified residence.'The purchase of residential furniture for N295 million, is it for the residence of Mr President' You also have N265 million for computers. You bought computers last year. Do you still want to buy computers this year again'' he queried.In his response to all the queries, the permanent secretary said government was committed to reducing expenditure, even at the State House as shown by the N18.3 billion allocated to the State House in 2012 as against N20 billion in 2011. He told the committee that the allocations were for statutory meetings.On the purchase of computers, Mr Olaopa told the committee that it was included in the 2012 budget because only N5 million was released in 2011. He added that what necessitated the purchase of new furniture was the fact that the vice-president was moving to a new official residence.According to him: 'Permit me to say that when we talk about the budget of the presidency, there is some misrepresentation regarding provision for foodstuffs, entertainment and all. Permit me to say that the State House is a huge bureaucracy on its own and it is a meeting point for a huge array of critical stakeholders, both local and international.'There are lots of standing committees, visiting presidents, diplomats, people from the Diaspora, captains of industries and a lot of banquets are held and these are service- based. Moreso, we now run democracy unlike the military. Now, we necessarily have to expand in order to run an inclusive government.'The allocation has to do with the volume of statutory meetings that hold every week and lately because of the state of the nation, the level of meetings at the presidency has increased.
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