Peter Obi Speaks On 2023 Supplementary Budget, Highlights Lack Of Urgent Social Welfare Funding

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has made some observations about the 2023 supplementary budget.

It was earlier reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget into law.

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Items in the supplementary budget include the controversial N5 billion allocated for a Presidential Yacht. N605bn was earmarked for security, to further enhance the capacity of the armed forces and security agencies to address current and emerging security challenges nationwide.

Other items include N5.5bn for the student loan scheme and over N616bn in wage awards for civil servants to augment the heightened cost of living post-subsidy.

In a statement issued via his X account on Wednesday, Obi said the most pressing national needs and emergencies have not featured in the supplementary budget.

The LP flagbearer said no budget was made to fight hunger in the country after the United Nations (UN) and World Food Programme recently alerted that up to 6.5 million Nigerians will go hungry next year.

Obi also noted that no fund was earmarked for urgent social welfare in the supplementary budget, saying that the items being made to dominate public discourse on the budget include a mysterious Presidential yacht, and official vehicles among others.

He stated that the Bola Tinubu government’s overall attitude does not indicate that it is aware that the country is in a huge crisis, nor is it in tune with the plight of all Nigerians.

He wrote: “A supplementary budget is a budget made for very important national welfare needs of the people which were not captured originally in the main budget or do not have adequate funding.

“Admittedly, some items in the current budget may not have taken into consideration the needs of a new administration, but it is expected that a supplementary budget this late in the financial year should reflect mostly urgent items of national welfare.

“Sadly, the most pressing national needs and emergencies have not featured in the supplementary budget that was just announced by the government. For example, the United Nations and World Food Programme have recently alerted that up to 6.5 million Nigerians will go hungry next year.

“This number is largely from among citizens in Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, and Zamfara States. A caring Government in order to plan for the mitigation of such pending catastrophe can request supplementary budget provisions to cushion those under threat.

“No item of urgent social welfare has yet featured in the supplementary budget being orchestrated by this government. Instead, the items being made to dominate public discourse on the budget include a mysterious Presidential Yacht, Presidential Jets, the furnishing of already lavishly furnished presidential quarters and offices, fleets of luxury SUVs etc.

“This portrays a Government that is totally uncaring and insensitive to the suffering of the majority, and indifferent to the mood of the nation.

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“The government’s overall attitude does not indicate that it is aware that the country is in a huge crisis, nor is the government in tune with the plight of the generality of our people.

“Even worse is the fact that most of the funding for these profligate expenditures will be largely borrowed. The least that Nigerians expect from the government at this difficult moment is empathy and realism, not lavish indulgence.”

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