The Nigerian government is eating us dry: A whopping N2.2 billion for construction of new banquet hall in the presidential villa.

I guess the ordinary Nigerians are the ones who are always required to make sacrifice, and tighten their belt, while Federal Government go about with loosed trousers and ostentatiously show glamour. The masses are hungry, poverty are at its peak in these side of the world, children are dying as a result of malnutrition. Nigeria is one of the greatest and blessed nation on earth but kwashokor still hold sway and our government representatives drive around in big and exotic cars.

Corruption is abstract. It has heads, hands and legs and it is sitting in all government offices in Nigeria. In most top offices in this country where hideous crimes (corruption) are perfectly planned and executed and the ripples spread freely like a wide fire all over the country damaging the pillars that are supposed to hold Nigeria. It is now said that when you fight corruption, it fights back in so many ways you can ever imagine.

A minister is advocating for construction of a second banquet hall at the presidential villa, citing the distance of the exiting hall as alibi for such a monstrous thought. He said “the distance of the banquet hall is 2 kilometers away from presidential building, thereby, making it hard for Mr. President to walk to the hall during occasions.” He continued, “this project will take a rough estimate of N2.2 billion to complete in full.”

This is happening at the backdrop of the bad road network in the country, turning in a large chunk of Nigeria’s population to the morgue and hospitals. From my part of the country it is said that “Custom without reason is noting but an ancient error”. Our hospitals are empty, doctors are not properly trained and equipped, graduates are at home, roaming the street involving in criminal activities and somebody somewhere is putting forward for approval, new banquet hall bill of quote, this people will never seize to amaze me.

If the president can not walk to the banquet hall, at least he should drive to the hall as usual , after all, the fuel is paid with tax payers money. Nigerians, do not be deceived by what those double faced, double tongue ministers are saying, the true distance of the banquet hall is not more than 5 miles away from the presidential apartment. I assume that, since we are approaching festive season some hungry individuals are looking for cheap way to squander Nigeria’s money with frivolous spending and inconsequential projects.

The question is, why have two banquet halls? What will happen to the existing banquet hall? Will it be commercialized or will it be demolished? Since FG are good at demolishing buildings. When so many Nigerians are living on the street, that reminds me, that does not in anyway concern them whether or not Nigerians live at home or under the bridge. How much was allocated to NAPEP for eradicating poverty in 2002, far less than what is appropriated for these banquet hall, even though NAPEP has been putting much of that allocation into their personal pockets.

If Nigerians want to gain a good understanding of where federal government priority lies, simple, look at the budget. Little wonder why there are uncountable loopholes in the proposed 2013 budget, a budget where less attention is placed on Agriculture, education, information technology and power. Ways we can truly diversify these economy for once and be less reliant on oil.

In 2015, our best customers, America will become number one producers of oil in the world, which spells doom for Nigeria. Instead, the Minister of Finance together with the whole economic team are interested in concentrating tax payers fund on feeding alone. For President Goodluck Jonathan, N1.3 billion on food and replacement of kitchen utensils in 2013. I assume CBN Governor, Mallam, Sanusi Lamido, did not read or hear all these and suggest to Federal Government to cut there spending spree and advice himself too, on reckless spending like the one he did while donating over a N100 million to Kano bomb victims.

Nigeria have barely three more years to achieve the Millennium Development Goals objectives. The MDG receive a paltry sum of N1 billion every year from the intervention fund for a mammoth project, a project that will positively impact on the lives of the poor, a project as important as human existence and sustainability.

Let the leaders keep stealing from the people until one day, the people will rise up and request from them, their own share.