TheCable

In 2017, the federal government approved N280.1 million cash payments for former presidents and heads of state to buy cars.

The approval was contained in a document presented to the house of representatives committee on governmental affairs by Boss Mustapha, secretary of the government of the federation (SGF).

Mustapha appeared before the committee to review the 2017 budget of his office and defend estimates for 2018.

He said the cars were monetised so the former leaders could buy vehicles of their choice.

The SGF said N40m had already been released, leaving a balance of N240.1 million to be paid to the former leaders.

The beneficiaries are Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Shehu Shagari, Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Ernest Shonekan.

The document said vehicles worth N120 million were also approved to be purchased for former vice-presidents in 2017.

It said the procurement of the vehicles for the former VPs is “ongoing.”

The former vice-presidents include Abubakar Atiku, Sambo Dasuki, the late Alex Ekwueme and all former chiefs of general staff.

The SGF’s office presented to lawmakers a total budget proposal is N9.8 billion for 2018.

N3.9 billion was earmarked for overheads, N3.3 billion for personnel cost and N2.4 billion for capital projects.

The SGF also told the committee that the sum of N65m would be spent in 2018 to build a government website.