Ministers Designate To Get N1.37bn For Accommodation

The housing allowances for the newly appointed ministers may cost the country about N343.25m yearly, according to findings from The PUNCH.

With that annual allocation, in four years, the Federal Government will spend N1.37bn on the 45 ministers-designate’s accommodation.

The allowances are based on data collated from a document obtained from the website of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission.

It covers allowances for accommodation (200 per cent of basic salary), domestic staff (75 per cent of basic salary), utilities (30 per cent of basic salary), and furniture (300 per cent of basic salary).

Unlike other allowances paid monthly, furniture allowance is usually paid once in four years.

The President, Bola Tinubu, recently unveiled the portfolios of his ministers.

In the list obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, it was noted that the names of a former Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, a former National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Stella Okotete, and a ministerial nominee from Taraba State, Danladi Abubakar were missing.

Earlier, the Senate had withheld the confirmation of the three owing to security checks.

In the list obtained by our correspondent, it was observed that 13 of the nominees were appointed Ministers of State while some new ministries were also created.

The ministers and their designations are as follows Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy: Bosun Tijani; Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management: Ishak Salako; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy: Wale Edun; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy: Bunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of Power: Adebayo Adelabu; Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare: Tunji Alausa; Minister of Solid Minerals Development: Dele Alake; Minister of Tourism: Lola Ade-John; Minister of Transportation: Adegboyega Oyetola.

Others are Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite; Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy; Minister of Works, David Umahi; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Minister of Youth, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; Minister of State, Gas Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh and Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Also on the list are the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru; Minister of State Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of State, Education, Tanko Sununu; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.