Abeg, my people, make I yarn you the tori wey dey burst brain! E be say, this government don spend as much as N34.39 billion for forex just to cruise abroad and do one or two things wey no be here. Na from 2024 to 2025 dem dey talk am o!
The wahala begin from the gists wey PUNCH gather together from this GovSpend wey be government spending tracker. The way dem spend money no be here; 2024 alone carry the bulk wey reach N29.35 billion, while 2025 just drop am to N5.04 billion. Na like magic, but we sabi say na because the naira don balance small small after some policy wahala wey happen.
Abeg, wetin dem dey use this money do? Mostly for diplomatic trips, aviation wahala, training programs, and all that jazz wey dey involve our big men and women, including the President and the First Lady. But make I tell you, people don they vex as this spending dey happen. Nigeria still dey manage forex shortage, yet dem dey travel like say money dey grow for tree.
2024 no carry small surprise for us o! All the spending dey happen for the first half of the year where the naira dey do shakara. One big spender wey we notice na the Presidential Air Fleet. Dem dey spend billions upon billions for forex transit funds, wey dey make people raise eyebrow about the cost of maintaining this fleet amidst our economic hardship.
From March to May 2024, the Presidential Air Fleet dey enter forex wateva like N1.27 billion again and again, with higher amounts coming in April and May. E be like say dem enjoy the air travel wahala well well, but as money dey fly like bird, people dey wonder if na so e suppose be.
As we enter the second half of 2024, State House too no carry last. Dem dey chop forex anyhow for foreign trips. February alone see them spend over N2.5 billion for just trips. The Vice President went to Switzerland wey cost N426.88 million; the President hustle go Ethiopia with N1.04 billion and Dubai with N750 million. Na wa o!
Fast forward to this 2025 wey we dey now, you fit just see difference like sunshine and rain. Spending don drop sharply to N5.04 billion. Dem dey use many small small transactions now, like no more billions but millions. Looks like dem don set their heads right and dey manage forex matter better.
The naira sef don show better face in 2025, appreciating na from N1,535 to N1,429/$1. E don take 13 years to recover like this, and you dey wonder wetin dey happen for our economy.
But no be all rosy o! The Country Director of Accountability Lab, Odeh Friday, don talk say the spending dey affect taxpayers. He dey shout say we need more accountability for how dem dey use our money. Some dey call the spending wahala wasteful, and dem dey ask if na so e suppose be for Nigeria wey dey face yawa.
And then, we come hear from Peter Obi, wey don dey complain say President Tinubu dey spend too much time abroad while issues dey ground for house. E dey wonder why leaders from other countries dey stay for their people, but for Naija, na international cruise we dey gree see our president. E no too sweet for mouth, but who go hear? This na just the gist. We go keep dey watch the matter make e no turn to comedy show.
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