• As Katsina govt spends N359bn on essential services
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday in Katsina State, berated the Nigerian elite for being “very selfish” rather than uniting their might for the welfare of their fellow citizens.
“Our elites did not put their heads together in the years past in order to move the country forward. They were very selfish. I insist that they should think of the country more than themselves,” Buhari said at a luncheon after commissioning at least seven infrastructural projects executed by the Katsina State Government.
According to Buhari, the standard of living in the country would be more bearable if the elite thought more of the people.
Reminiscing a supposed golden era in global oil prices, the President regretted that the previous administrations did not maximise the available resources for infrastructural growth when a barrel of crude oil sold for $100.
Comparing the pre and post-2015 when he assumed office, Buhari said, “Our elite did not put their heads together in the years past in order to move the country forward. They were very selfish.
“I insist that they should think of the country more than themselves. By doing so, they can join forces for the good of the country.”
According to him, citizens are more concerned about the results the government can provide in terms of security and the economy.
“But I can’t complain because I asked for it. I have done my best, and I hope history will be kind to me,” he said.
Buhari applauded Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State for prioritising basic infrastructure for the people despite limited resources.
After that, he inspected and unveiled several developmental projects in education, health care and road infrastructure.
Some of the projects include Kofar Kaura Underpass, Kofar Kwaya Underpass, Kofar Kaura Water Works, Katsina State Internal Revenue House, Muhammadu Buhari Meteorological Institute by the Ministry of Aviation, Darma Rice Mill in Batagarwa and Katsina State General Hospital.
Buhari, who is on a two-day state visit, also inspected ongoing work on the first flyover in Katsina’s Government Reserved Area, which is 90 per cent completed.
In his address, Masari revealed that his administration spent about N358bn on essential services such as salaries, pension, health and tertiary institutions, despite the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said: “Despite all these, however, the State Government has been consistent in the payment of salaries, pension, overhead costs to Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as other Social Services such as Medical Assistance to Patients and educational assistance to Students from Universities and other tertiary institutions within and outside the country, assistance to Mosques, Islamiyya Schools and other religious organisations across the 34 Local Government Areas.
“The highlight of the expenditure incurred in one key area of responsibility indicates that the present administration has from 2015 to 2022 expended over N195bn in the payment of salaries and allowances to civil servants and political office holders, about N34bn in the payment of Pension and Gratuity to retired workers, about N36bn in the payment of Overhead and Running Costs to Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the State Government, about N82bn to cater for other recurrent expenditures such as training of workers, official trips, repairs and rehabilitation of vehicles and buildings as well as about N14bn on Social Services.
“Verifiable record indicates that by 2022 ending, the State Government has expended the sum of N357,927,829,790.87 on the above-mentioned purposes.”
Masari said the rehabilitation and upgrade of General Hospitals in Katsina, Funtua and Daura gulped over N2.5bn.
“So far, about N1.37bn was injected into the Contributory Healthcare Services with capitation disbursement to accredited Primary Healthcare Facilities in the sum of N1,219,648,640.00 and fees for services which were paid to Secondary Healthcare Facilities in the sum of N152,947,332.66,” Masari explained.
He thanked the President and the federal government for various interventions given to Katsina State, such as Bailout Funds which, he said, assisted the State Government in promptly payout of outstanding entitlements to its employees.
