The
Federal Government’s decision to spend the sum of N14.5m on two unnamed
wild animals in the Aso Villa Zoo, as proposed in the 2014 budget, is
the subject of a raging debate on social media.
Apart from the sum, N8m was budgeted for
the upgrading and maintenance of the State House zoo while the
renovation of the horses’ stables and paddock will gulp N15m.
But those who read the news online have
described the proposed budget for the animals as a misplaced priority on
the part of the Presidency.
Reacting to the development, many
Nigerians wonder why, despite the tell-tale signs of poverty and hunger
in the country, the FG would give priority attention to animals at the
expense of human beings.
A reader on punchng.com, Momoh
Abdul-Razaq, describes the budgets for the animals and the maintenance
of the zoo as an insult on the collective intelligence of Nigerians.
Abdul-Razaq dares President Goodluck
Jonathan to prove to Nigerians that the budget estimates for the animals
will impact positively on his performance in office.
He says, “I have been working for close
to 10 years now and I have never seen a million naira nor come close to
spending same, yet two animals have over N14 m budgeted for them! What
is my salary in a year? Do they know how many boreholes that N14million
can sink in a Nigerian village or town?
“Yet when you criticise them (FG) some
people among us call you all kinds of unprintable names. How will the
animals help Jonathan to perform his duties better? If the President
needs relaxation alone or in company with others, can’t he go fishing?
“Why do our leaders insult our
intelligence like this? I cannot believe an animal has more money
budgeted for it than a human being, despite all the efforts we put in at
work daily. Honestly, I feel like telling them that God will punish
them all, but I will not do it. Instead, I will say to them: may God
reward you all.”
As the debate raged online, a respondent on punchng.com, Babakeu, asked the President four questions that are centred on the controversial budgetary allocation for the animals.
He insisted that Jonathan must provide
tangible answers to the questions before the National Assembly approves
the allocation, which he describes as reflecting the President’s
“inordinate action”.
Babakeu said, “I think that we should all
ask Jonathan the following questions: What benefits will the spending
of roughly N38m on the feeding, security and housing of two wilds
animals will bring to all Nigerians?
“Is Jonathan not receiving salaries from which he can earmark some money to feed and train his two wild animals?
“Is FIFA organising a tournament in which
every qualified country is invited to participate with their national
teams of wild animals for the purpose of awarding medals?
“Finally, are those two wild animals part
of our national assets on which our collective wealth must be
squandered or budgeted for?
“If the above five questions cannot be
answered by Jonathan, do we still then need this kind of extravagant
fellow at the helms of the affairs of this country?”
A respondent on Twitter, Bassey, says
that in view of the current situation in the country, the budget
proposals for the animals could only be tenable if the zoo project was
meant for commercial purposes.
“I see it that we are getting wild
animals at Aso Rock. Is it another developmental goal of this
administration to better lives of the people? I’d rather they build a
zoo with that kind of money and earn revenue from it. But I’m not a
citizen who doesn’t know the way government works,” Bassey states.
Expressing his anger with the Jonathan
administration, one Oloyede Oyewale-Hastings writes on Facebook, “Our
leaders are insensitive to the plight of the governed. How on earth can a
sensible being wish to budget and expend such a large sum of money on
ordinary animals while human beings that were created by God in His own
image toil to eke out a living?