Abuja — Four days after Vice President Goodluck Jonathan promised that no Nigerian will use power generators next year, the Presidency itself proposes to spend N542.4 million in the 2010 Federal budget to purchase and fuel power generating plants.

This much was contained in the N4.07 trillion 2010 budget bill that President Umaru Yar'adua's Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba Aji, laid before the two chambers of National Assembly in Abuja yesterday. Speaking at the launching of the new Peugeot 307 Sedan in Kaduna last Friday, Jonathan responded to the complaints by Peugeot Automobile's chairman about permanent dependence on generators by saying no Nigerian will depend on generators next year.

A copy of the draft budget bill obtained by Daily Trust however showed that President Yar'adua's abode at the State House, Aso Rock Villa alone intends to spend N82m on the maintenance of plants and generators, an indication that the State House does not believe that power supply will be stable next year.

Another N100m is proposed in the budget for the provision of Uninterrupted Power Supply [UPS] machines at the Vice President's official residence and new administrative block at the Presidential Villa to take care of incessant power cut. Apart from the Presidential Villa, the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and agencies under it have also been provided with another N310 million for the purchase of power generating plants and the cost of fuelling them.

The 2010 budget estimate shows that the main SGF's office if to spend N30 million on generators; the anti-poverty agency NAPEP is to spend N8 million; the Lagos Liaison Office is to purchase a new generating set worth N30 million; the National Economic Intelligence Committee is to replace a generator at the cost of N15 million, while the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) is to be given N70 million for generators. Similarly, the National Hospital, Abuja is to complete the installation of a 1.5MVA generator at the cost of N35 million; Utilities Charges Commission is to spend N4 million on generators; while the National Identity Management Commission is to get N77 million for the same purpose. The Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission is to get N16 million for the purchase of two 120KVA generators and the National Merit Award Committee is to receive N12.6 million to purchase a 350KVA generator. The Presidency has also earmarked N82 million for power supply under new projects within the Villa.

Meanwhile, the N4.07 trillion budget sent to the National Assembly by President Yar'adua provides that N180.2 billion is for Statutory Transfers, N517.07 billion for Debt Services.

Total recurrent expenditure is to receive N2.01 trillion; capital expenditure is N1.37 trillion with price of oil benchmark at $57 per barrel. Also the key assumption shows that exchange rate per dollar is N150, inflation rate will be 11.2 percent, $5 billion is for Joint Venture cash calls and GDP growth rate is pegged at 5-6 percent.

The two chambers of the National Assembly are to commence debate on the general principles of the Appropriation bill preparatory to budget defence by government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) before various standing committees of the Senate and House of Representatives.