President Buhari Rejects N400M Armoured Cars
President Muhammadu Buhari has turned down
an offer by the Federal Government to procure
five new armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222)
cars for his use.
The cars which total cost is put at about N400m
were planned to be purchased by the State
House.
A Presidency source told journalists on Thursday
that Buhari got to know of the plan when the
Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Nebolisa
Emodi, was briefing him of his ministry’s
activities on Wednesday.
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Miffed by the revelation, the President was said
to have told Emodi that the purchase was
unnecessary.
Describing it as a waste of scarce resources, the
source said Buhari told the permanent secretary
that the cars he inherited from former President
Goodluck Jonathan were good enough for him.
“I don’t need any new cars. The ones I am using
now are just fine,” the source quoted the
President as saying.
The top government officials, however, said
Buhari welcomed other initiatives presented by
the permanent secretary to reduce the operating
costs of the State House and strengthen its
Finance and Accounts Internal Control
Mechanisms.
He however directed that more efforts be made
henceforth to capture all State House expenses
within the approved national budget.
This, he said, was to avoid the frequent recourse
by past administrations to “Presidential
intervention funds.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu,
confirmed to our correspondent that Buhari had
withheld approval for the purchase of the new
cars.
Shehu said the President would continue to use
the cars left behind by Jonathan in keeping with
his commitment to prudent management of
national resources.
Our correspondent learnt that the proposal to
procure the new cars was first made to Jonathan
before he left office.
The former President was however said to have
directed that it be represented to Buhari for
approval on his assumption of office since the
cars could only be delivered some months after
the May 29 handover date.
an offer by the Federal Government to procure
five new armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222)
cars for his use.
The cars which total cost is put at about N400m
were planned to be purchased by the State
House.
A Presidency source told journalists on Thursday
that Buhari got to know of the plan when the
Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Nebolisa
Emodi, was briefing him of his ministry’s
activities on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Miffed by the revelation, the President was said
to have told Emodi that the purchase was
unnecessary.
Describing it as a waste of scarce resources, the
source said Buhari told the permanent secretary
that the cars he inherited from former President
Goodluck Jonathan were good enough for him.
“I don’t need any new cars. The ones I am using
now are just fine,” the source quoted the
President as saying.
The top government officials, however, said
Buhari welcomed other initiatives presented by
the permanent secretary to reduce the operating
costs of the State House and strengthen its
Finance and Accounts Internal Control
Mechanisms.
He however directed that more efforts be made
henceforth to capture all State House expenses
within the approved national budget.
This, he said, was to avoid the frequent recourse
by past administrations to “Presidential
intervention funds.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu,
confirmed to our correspondent that Buhari had
withheld approval for the purchase of the new
cars.
Shehu said the President would continue to use
the cars left behind by Jonathan in keeping with
his commitment to prudent management of
national resources.
Our correspondent learnt that the proposal to
procure the new cars was first made to Jonathan
before he left office.
The former President was however said to have
directed that it be represented to Buhari for
approval on his assumption of office since the
cars could only be delivered some months after
the May 29 handover date.
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