EXCLUSIVE: Despite cash crunch, public outcry, Saraki takes delivery of new N330million exotic cars
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has
taken delivery of new exotic cars purchased
by the National Assembly management for
his official use, brushing aside widespread
criticisms against such lavish spending at a
time of national economic crisis.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported
that the Nigerian legislative body proposed to
splash about N4.7 billion on at least 400
vehicles for leaders and members of the
Senate and House of Representatives.
Among the proposed vehicles were 10 top-of-
the-range cars for Mr. Saraki and his official
convoy.
Our market survey showed the vehicles cost
N329, 515,625 – more than the budgetary
allocations for many government schools.
The report triggered a firestorm of reaction
from Nigerians, including President
Muhammadu Buhari and former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, who urged the National
Assembly to shelve the plan.
Mr. Buhari said he had rejected a proposal
for new vehicles to be purchased for him as
part of 2016 budget expenditure.
“I turned down a N400 million bill for cars
for the presidency, because the vehicles I am
using are good enough for the next 10 years,”
the president said during his first media chat.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also
wrote members of the National Assembly
asking them to jettison the plan to buy
official vehicles.
“Whatever name it is disguised as, it is
unnecessary and insensitive,” Mr. Obasanjo
said. “A pool of a few cars for each Chamber
will suffice for any Committee Chairman or
members for any specific duty. The waste
that has gone into cars, furniture, housing
renovation in the past was mind-boggling and
these were veritable sources of waste and
corruption. That was why they were
abolished. Bringing them back is inimical to
the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
But PREMIUM TIMES can report today that
the National Assembly management ignored
such concerns and, finalised procurement
processes for the vehicles, and indeed took
delivery of them for Mr. Saraki.
At least four of the 10 vehicles meant for Mr.
Saraki have already been delivered by Lanre
Shittu motors and the lawmaker has since put
them to use.
Officials briefed about the matter told this newspaper that
procurement process for the purchase of vehicles for the
senate president was concluded since December.
However, like Mr. Saraki, the tenders board agreed the
purchases be made in batches due to paucity of funds, our
sources said.
Stressing what the Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, had
earlier said, the source said procuring new vehicles for Mr.
Saraki became a “matter of priority” because “the current
cars are old and already developing faults”.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained tender documents for the 10
cars Mr. Saraki requested.
In the document, the National Assembly sought to purchase
a 2016 model Mercedes Benz S550, four 2016 Toyota Prado
jeeps, four 2016 Toyota Hilux SS (Auto) as well as a 2016
model Toyota Hiace Bus.
PREMIUM TIMES’ independent market evaluation showed
the cars cost as follows: 1Nos.Mercedes Benz S550 (N49,
020,625); 4nos. Toyota Prado (N149, 650,000); 4nos Toyota
Hilux SS (N102, 407,500) and 1Nos. Toyota Hiace Bus
(N28, 437,500).
At N250 to the dollar, PREMIUM TIMES estimated the
total cost of the purchase at N329, 515,625.
The four cars delivered yet, and confirmed by this paper, are
three Toyota Prado SUVs and one Mercedes Benz S500.
[Pictures inset]
120 cars for Senators
PREMIUM TIMES also confirmed that the procurement
processes for the purchase of 120 Toyota Land Cruisers for
the remaining 119 Senators were also concluded last
December.
The tenders board also agreed to shelve the plan temporarily
due to “paucity of funds.”
A source said senators however continued to pressure the
Committee on Senate Services, which in turn put pressure
on the National Assembly management to immediately
conclude the procurement.
An estimated N4.7billion would have been spent by the time
the acquisition of cars for Mr. Saraki and his 108 colleagues
are completed.
A cocktail of illegalities
As we reported in an earlier story, the acquisition of cars for
senators is a violation of the monetisation policy of the
federal government.
Under the policy, no new vehicles should be purchased by
any agency of government for use by officials.
Rather, public officers and political office holders are to
receive 250 per cent of their annual basic salary as motor
vehicle loan, which translates to N5.07 million for each
senator.
Our sources at the National Assembly said the Senators got
these loans before also proceeding to acquire these new
Toyota Land Cruisers.
Also, the President of the Senate is said to have inherited the
vehicles used by his predecessor, and Senate insiders say
“he really does not need new cars as the one he uses are in
top condition”.
But even if he needs new cars, the number being acquired
for him is in excess of what the law provides.
According to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and
Fiscal Commission, the Senate President is entitled to a
maximum of six vehicles, and not 10 as being bought for
him.
He is entitled to two official cars, one pilot car, one
protocol/press car, one ambulance and one security car.
Members of the two chambers of the national assembly are
renown for their taste for exotic vehicles even after receiving
monetary pay in lieu of official vehicles based on the
provisions of the law.
The Senate had in the last legislative session bought Toyota
Prado Jeeps for each Senator at the cost of over N1.3 billion,
coming after both chambers had also bought Toyota Camry,
for Senators and Peugeot vehicles for members of the House
of Representatives.
The allegedly shady deal involved in the purchase of the
Peugeot vehicles formed part of the charges against then
Speaker Dimeji Bankole when he was taken to court after
completing his term.
What N4.7billion can do
If deployed towards enhancing healthcare delivery, N4.7
billion can be used in building 235 primary health care
centres across Nigeria (enough for at least 6 health care
centres in each state) at the cost of N20 million each.
The money, N4.7 billion, can also provide over 470,000
children with insecticide-treated mosquito nets at N10,000
each, saving them from the scourge of malaria which today
kills more than 300,000 Nigerian children under the age of
five annually and responsible for 11 per cent of maternal
mortality cases yearly, according to experts at the Malaria
Action Programme for States (MAPS).
Still on healthcare, over 10 million Nigerian kids could get
complete malaria treatment dosage, at N460 if the N4.7
billion was directed to this life-saving purpose.
If that money is spent on boosting yield of farm produce, the
amount can cover the cost of procurement of about 626,667
bags of fertilizers for Nigerian farmers at N7,500 each.
The money –N4.7 billion – can also offset a six-month wage
bill of 40,000 minimum wage workers presently owed salary
payment by some state governments seeking bailout from
the federal government.
In order to provide conducive learning environment in
schools, 470,000 sets of school furniture, comprising table
and chair at N10,000 each, can be procured at the cost of
N4.7 billion. Yet kids sit on bare floors to study in many
schools across the country while the parliamentarians gets
N4.7 billion to buy cars.
In the housing sector, at N7million per piece, the country
can provide 671 additional cheap housing for citizens; and
provide 51 thousand households with potable water at
N92,000 per household connection.
taken delivery of new exotic cars purchased
by the National Assembly management for
his official use, brushing aside widespread
criticisms against such lavish spending at a
time of national economic crisis.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported
that the Nigerian legislative body proposed to
splash about N4.7 billion on at least 400
vehicles for leaders and members of the
Senate and House of Representatives.
Among the proposed vehicles were 10 top-of-
the-range cars for Mr. Saraki and his official
convoy.
Our market survey showed the vehicles cost
N329, 515,625 – more than the budgetary
allocations for many government schools.
The report triggered a firestorm of reaction
from Nigerians, including President
Muhammadu Buhari and former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, who urged the National
Assembly to shelve the plan.
Mr. Buhari said he had rejected a proposal
for new vehicles to be purchased for him as
part of 2016 budget expenditure.
“I turned down a N400 million bill for cars
for the presidency, because the vehicles I am
using are good enough for the next 10 years,”
the president said during his first media chat.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also
wrote members of the National Assembly
asking them to jettison the plan to buy
official vehicles.
“Whatever name it is disguised as, it is
unnecessary and insensitive,” Mr. Obasanjo
said. “A pool of a few cars for each Chamber
will suffice for any Committee Chairman or
members for any specific duty. The waste
that has gone into cars, furniture, housing
renovation in the past was mind-boggling and
these were veritable sources of waste and
corruption. That was why they were
abolished. Bringing them back is inimical to
the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
But PREMIUM TIMES can report today that
the National Assembly management ignored
such concerns and, finalised procurement
processes for the vehicles, and indeed took
delivery of them for Mr. Saraki.
At least four of the 10 vehicles meant for Mr.
Saraki have already been delivered by Lanre
Shittu motors and the lawmaker has since put
them to use.
Officials briefed about the matter told this newspaper that
procurement process for the purchase of vehicles for the
senate president was concluded since December.
However, like Mr. Saraki, the tenders board agreed the
purchases be made in batches due to paucity of funds, our
sources said.
Stressing what the Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, had
earlier said, the source said procuring new vehicles for Mr.
Saraki became a “matter of priority” because “the current
cars are old and already developing faults”.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained tender documents for the 10
cars Mr. Saraki requested.
In the document, the National Assembly sought to purchase
a 2016 model Mercedes Benz S550, four 2016 Toyota Prado
jeeps, four 2016 Toyota Hilux SS (Auto) as well as a 2016
model Toyota Hiace Bus.
PREMIUM TIMES’ independent market evaluation showed
the cars cost as follows: 1Nos.Mercedes Benz S550 (N49,
020,625); 4nos. Toyota Prado (N149, 650,000); 4nos Toyota
Hilux SS (N102, 407,500) and 1Nos. Toyota Hiace Bus
(N28, 437,500).
At N250 to the dollar, PREMIUM TIMES estimated the
total cost of the purchase at N329, 515,625.
The four cars delivered yet, and confirmed by this paper, are
three Toyota Prado SUVs and one Mercedes Benz S500.
[Pictures inset]
120 cars for Senators
PREMIUM TIMES also confirmed that the procurement
processes for the purchase of 120 Toyota Land Cruisers for
the remaining 119 Senators were also concluded last
December.
The tenders board also agreed to shelve the plan temporarily
due to “paucity of funds.”
A source said senators however continued to pressure the
Committee on Senate Services, which in turn put pressure
on the National Assembly management to immediately
conclude the procurement.
An estimated N4.7billion would have been spent by the time
the acquisition of cars for Mr. Saraki and his 108 colleagues
are completed.
A cocktail of illegalities
As we reported in an earlier story, the acquisition of cars for
senators is a violation of the monetisation policy of the
federal government.
Under the policy, no new vehicles should be purchased by
any agency of government for use by officials.
Rather, public officers and political office holders are to
receive 250 per cent of their annual basic salary as motor
vehicle loan, which translates to N5.07 million for each
senator.
Our sources at the National Assembly said the Senators got
these loans before also proceeding to acquire these new
Toyota Land Cruisers.
Also, the President of the Senate is said to have inherited the
vehicles used by his predecessor, and Senate insiders say
“he really does not need new cars as the one he uses are in
top condition”.
But even if he needs new cars, the number being acquired
for him is in excess of what the law provides.
According to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and
Fiscal Commission, the Senate President is entitled to a
maximum of six vehicles, and not 10 as being bought for
him.
He is entitled to two official cars, one pilot car, one
protocol/press car, one ambulance and one security car.
Members of the two chambers of the national assembly are
renown for their taste for exotic vehicles even after receiving
monetary pay in lieu of official vehicles based on the
provisions of the law.
The Senate had in the last legislative session bought Toyota
Prado Jeeps for each Senator at the cost of over N1.3 billion,
coming after both chambers had also bought Toyota Camry,
for Senators and Peugeot vehicles for members of the House
of Representatives.
The allegedly shady deal involved in the purchase of the
Peugeot vehicles formed part of the charges against then
Speaker Dimeji Bankole when he was taken to court after
completing his term.
What N4.7billion can do
If deployed towards enhancing healthcare delivery, N4.7
billion can be used in building 235 primary health care
centres across Nigeria (enough for at least 6 health care
centres in each state) at the cost of N20 million each.
The money, N4.7 billion, can also provide over 470,000
children with insecticide-treated mosquito nets at N10,000
each, saving them from the scourge of malaria which today
kills more than 300,000 Nigerian children under the age of
five annually and responsible for 11 per cent of maternal
mortality cases yearly, according to experts at the Malaria
Action Programme for States (MAPS).
Still on healthcare, over 10 million Nigerian kids could get
complete malaria treatment dosage, at N460 if the N4.7
billion was directed to this life-saving purpose.
If that money is spent on boosting yield of farm produce, the
amount can cover the cost of procurement of about 626,667
bags of fertilizers for Nigerian farmers at N7,500 each.
The money –N4.7 billion – can also offset a six-month wage
bill of 40,000 minimum wage workers presently owed salary
payment by some state governments seeking bailout from
the federal government.
In order to provide conducive learning environment in
schools, 470,000 sets of school furniture, comprising table
and chair at N10,000 each, can be procured at the cost of
N4.7 billion. Yet kids sit on bare floors to study in many
schools across the country while the parliamentarians gets
N4.7 billion to buy cars.
In the housing sector, at N7million per piece, the country
can provide 671 additional cheap housing for citizens; and
provide 51 thousand households with potable water at
N92,000 per household connection.
Comments
Post a Comment