Some Nigerians have expressed outrage after the Federal Government spent approximately ₦701 million to fund foreign trips of the country’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, in three months.
A recent report by Gov Spend showed that the Tinubu-led administration over the last three months paid ₦700,707,532 for the First Lady’s foreign trips to five countries, including two African nations.
GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the federal government’s spending, shows how the State house account released funds to the tune of seven hundred million for First Lady trips.
The report claimed that the government, through the State House headquarters transit account, on November 17, 2023, released the sum of ₦77,659,888 for the purchase of foreign exchange ($94,314) for the First Lady’s trip to the United States.
It added that the government, on February 24, 2024, through the State House headquarters transit account, paid the sum of ₦149,794,284 for the purchase of foreign exchange ($152,831) for the First Lady’s trip to France on January 4, 2024.
On March 15, 2024, the sum of ₦202,386,198 was also paid by the government through the State House account for the purchase of foreign exchange ($126,834) for the First Lady’s trip to Mozambique that month.
On the same day, the government paid ₦144,571,785 for the purchase of foreign exchange ($96,118) for the First Lady’s trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 9, 2024.
Through the same State House account, the government paid out the sum of ₦126,295,377 for the purchase of foreign exchange ($83,967) for the First Lady’s trip to London that month.
Additionally, the government spent a total sum of ₦314,231,472 on six programmes of the First Lady within four months.
On May 24, 2024, Rock of Ages Total Events Centre Ltd received the sum of ₦131,921,786 for full-scale decoration of State House events for the First Lady’s programmes for women, youth, and children.
On May 29, 2024, the State House paid ₦107,630,000 to Makeway Nigeria Limited for multimedia and related services during the First Lady’s programmes for women, youth, and children.
This indicates that a total sum of ₦1,014,939,004 has been spent by the government on the First Lady’s trips and programmes over seven months altogether.
How Nigerians Reacted;
joan_idu wrote: “Yet, they don’t need Nigeria’s money to survive?”
dynmaval wrote: “And they don’t need Nigeria money, they’ve got enough money.”
dradaure wrote: “You tell Nigerians to be patient, manage while you live lavishly.”
veraifeomaejirogreene wrote: “Plant, Plant, learn to Plant oooo. Plant in your gardens has spent this huge.”
linux_xo wrote: “She Dey Fly Outside country before dem Dey Presidency na, No be say I Dey support ham . But that Mama No Small if she spent such on Trips normally.”
Lordship wrote: “The reward of disunity.”
pearlyugo wrote: “Let the poor breathe! Don’t suffocate them.” “We need to take baby steps of pain….” “I urge Nigerians to endure and be patient…..” ride on oga madam at the top.”
