The federal government, through the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, paid N405,874,995 to 70 public servants in May, June and July as furniture allowances, FIJ has found.
All public office holders who received furniture allowances in May, June and July were directors, directors-general and permanent secretaries of federal ministries, departments and agencies.
The amount paid as furniture allowance to these public servants ranged between N5,777,595 and N6,079,200.
FIJ reports that 57 of them received N5,777,595, while 12 of them received N5,872,740 each, and one political office holder received N6,079,200, the highest amount paid as furniture allowance between May and July.
According to the remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders (February 2007 – June 2009) document, furniture allowance is pegged at 300% of the basic monthly salary received by directors-general, auditors-general, permanent secretaries, accountants-general, executive-secretaries and other chief executives of parastatals and agencies. It is also meant to be paid once in four years according to the provisions of the quoted document.
OVERLOOKED RECIPIENTS OF GOVERNMENT’S WASTEFUL SPENDING
Furniture allowance is one of several allowances the federal government pays to political, public and judicial office holders, apart from their basic salaries. Other political office holders, including ministers, lawmakers and judicial office holders, also receive furniture allowances.
While Nigerians knock ministers and lawmakers for receiving lump sums as allowances, high-ranking officials of the federal MDAs who receive almost the same amount as furniture allowances are usually overlooked.
While criticising the government for its profligate spending, Nigerians often cite these allowances as channels through which the country’s revenue is squandered.
These payments were made while many Nigerians were bearing the brunt of economic hardship.
The government’s wasteful spending has far-reaching consequences. One of the numerous harsh consequences of this wasteful spending is often the lack of crucial infrastructure.
FIJ has revealed how spending could be channelled into providing infrastructure and services to improve the quality of Nigerian lives.
For example, FIJ published an analysis in November on how the N1.5 billion that was proposed in the supplementary 2023 budget for the purchase of official vehicles for the office of the First Lady could have been used to construct 60 blocks of classrooms or used to pay the tuition fees of no fewer than 15,000 students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The table below contains the names of all 70 public servants who received furniture allowance from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation:
| NAME OF PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDER | MDA/PUBLIC OFFICE HELD | AMOUNT |
| Prof. Aliyu Jauro | National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi | Energy Commission of Nigeria | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Lanre Issa-Onilu | National Orientation Agency | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Nasir O. Raji-Mustapha | National Productivity Agency | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Ajibade Ikuejube | Federal College of Education Ilawe-Ekiti | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu | Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Dr. Vincent O. Olatunji | National Data Protection Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mr. Shehu Kuta | Investment and Securities Tribunal | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mr. John Ohireime Asein | Nigeria Copyright Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Gambo G.Aliyu | National Agency for the Control of Aids | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Engr. Dr. Kamal, Rasheed Abdulgafar | National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mr. Kolawale Michael Ogunbiyi | National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Monday Nwite Igwe | Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Bashir Sabo Abubakar | Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Ahmed Bolaji Nagode | National Power Training Institute of Nigeria | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Ahmed Hamidu Umdagas | Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Imam Yahuza Sulaiman | National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Rev. Dr. Stephen Adegbite | Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission | ₦5,777,595.0 |
| Prof. Chubado Tahir | National Orthopaedic Hospital, Jalingo | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Auwalu Sani Salihu | Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Dawanau, Kano | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Akindele Egbuwalo | National Social Investment Programme Agency | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Muhammad Shittu Adamu | Federal Medical Centre Wase | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Shuaibu Jauro Yahaya | Federal Medical Centre Mubi | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Apalowo Thalis Olonite | Office of the National Programme Manager Grant for Vulnerable Groups | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Olushola Segun Odusanya | National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Iyela Ajayi | National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Obinna Awiaka | Optometrists & Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Umar Faruk Abdulmajid | Federal Medical Centre, Daura | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Ahmad Rufai Yusuf | Medical Rehabilitation Centre | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Baba Danjuma David | Federal Polytechnic Idah | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe | Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Gabriel Aduda | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mbaeri Nnamdi Marice | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary, General Services Office) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Abel O. Enitan | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Olufemi Micheal Oloruntola | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mahmud Adam Kambari | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry Environment) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Yakubu Adam Kofarmata | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Richard Pheelangwah | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Esuabana Nko Asanye | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dr. Ajani Magdalene | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Namgwa Joseph Kortor | Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein | Accountant-General of the Federation | ₦5,777,595.00 |
Payments made between May and June 2024
| NAME OF PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDER | MDA/PUBLIC OFFICE HELD | AMOUNT |
| Dr. Chamberlain Nwele | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Obong Ededet Eyoma | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Hindatu Abdullah | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Odekunle Rukiyat Aduke | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Aminu Nabegu | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Evbu Igbinedion | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Nicholas Agbo Ella | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Adedoye Adeleye Ayodeji | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Raymond O. Omachi | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Dunomar Umar Ahmed | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Watti Tinuke | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Nura Abba Rim | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Deborah O.N. Odoh | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Nebeolisa Anako | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Deborah O.N. Odoh | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Nebeolisa Anako | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Ndayako Mohammed Aishetu | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Charles Anosike | IFO Nigerian Meteorological Agency | ₦5,777,595.0 |
| Dr. Bello A. Mohammed | IFO Federal Medical Centre, Gusau | ₦5,777,595.0 |
| Idris Ahmad Bappah | IFO Dental Technologists Registration Board of Nigeria | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Prof. Tunji Olaopa | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦6,079,200.00 |
| Rufus N. Godwins | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Dr. Ibrahim Jalo Daudu | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Dr, Adamu Hussein | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Shehu Aliyu | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Dr. Festus Oyebade | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,740.00 |
| Prof. John A.O. Okeniyi | IFO Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Otunba Biodun Ajiboye | IFO National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) | ₦5,777,595.00 |
| Princess Sarah A. Sosan | IFO Federal Civil Service Commission | ₦5,872,700.00 |
Payments made in July 2024.
Source: FIJ
