Economic Confidential, June, 2008

FEATURES 

That N7.7B for NASS Meals and another Priority

By A.G. Umar Kari

The other day Economic Confidential exclusively reported that the 2008 Budget Act contains, among other mind boggling allocations, a whopping N7.7 billion earmarked for “refreshments and meals” for federal legislators! This is in addition to the already bloated welfare package and sundry perks enjoyed by the M.P.s. But then, the Orwellian – type “democratic” system we operate requires that we have to pay for the excesses and shenanigans of those elected (and selected) to “serve” us.

My concern here is however, not really with the controversial allocation – its impropriety, inappropriateness, insensitivity and poor timing – which, in any case, is a fait accompli, the president having already assented to the budget. The first time I read about it, I pondered for one surreal moment of selfish thought, what that huge sum – N7.7b! – Could do to a beleaguered and wretched community like the one I sweat and toil for – the University of Abuja. A national daily recently reported that 15,000 students (and their hapless teachers and other staff) of Abuja’s premier tertiary institution, wallow in unspeakable sub-human conditions. On a good day the varsity’s temporary mini-campus resembles a refuge camp. Ironically, the university’s permanent site – Africa’s largest in terms of size – has since 1989 remained a vast expanse of virgin land, virtually unaffected by the phenomenal infrastructural development the F.C.T itself has witnessed within the same period.

I dare say that the University of Abuja permanent site could literally be sparked to life with N7.7b judiciously spent. An amount like that, though not enough to build the campus, may well turn out to be the lifeline needed by the university to look anything like a decent citadel of learning.

For instance, it requires about N100m to build a standard twin lecture theater capable of accommodating 500 students on either wing. If additional N300m were to be allocated to construct other, smaller lecture halls and offices for each of, say 10 of the major departments, N4b would have been enough to ensure that half of the university moved to the permanent site before the next budget is passed! The remaining N3.7b could be enough to construct hostels for 3000 students and even fetch certain categories for basic infrastructure.

Perhaps my sums do not add up, given that they were, at best, whimsically and conjecturally arrived at – I not being an architect, engineer or quantity surveyor. The simple fact, however remains that N7.7b is too much a sum to be played around with even by our distinguished senators and honorable members whose narcissism and profligacy border on obsession.

Accordingly, the federal legislators should seriously reconsider the obscene refreshment and meal allocation. They could, for instance, test their oft-proclaimed – yet suspect – patriotism and sense of sacrifice by altogether foregoing the N7.7b refreshment and meals vote and donating same towards efforts to build a befitting permanent site for the University of Abuja. Alternatively, and in sync with the due process and rule of law mantra, the 2008 Budget Act be amended to reflect the new development.

Should they do that, and refrain from similar reckless, self-serving legislations in future, we might just forgive their seemingly endless iniquities.