The recipients include former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. Others include, former vice-presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, Prof Yemi Osinbajo as well as ex-military Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babagida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd).
Similarly, another N1tn was earmarked for the public service wage adjustment for government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as arrears of promotion and salary increases, payment of severance benefits and minimum wage-related adjustments.
A perusal of the budget further showed that the entitlements of former presidents/heads of states and vice-presidents/chief of general staff will cost N2.3bn, while N10.5bn is proposed as benefits for retired Heads of Service, Permanent Secretaries and Professors.
In the same vein, the payment of severance benefits to retired Heads of Government Agencies and Parastatals is expected to gulp N1bn while N65bn is being earmarked for the Presidential Amnesty Programme as part of the reintegration of transformed ex-militants. Similarly, N1bn has been set aside for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Energy while another N108bn was earmarked for unnamed special projects.
A breakdown of the budget also showed that constituency projects for members of the National Assembly would gulp N100bn; contingency (capital) – N200bn; aid and grants funded projects – N685.6bn; and National Social Investment Programme Agency – N100bn.