FG earmarks N27bn for Obasanjo, Buhari, Atiku, Profs, others

The Federal Government has earmarked N27 billion to cover the entitlements of former presidents, vice-presidents, heads of state, retired heads of service, professors, and others in the 2025 fiscal year.

This allocation includes provisions for former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, along with ex-vice-presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Additional beneficiaries include retired military Heads of State such as Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military President Ibrahim Babangida, and retired Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe.

President Bola Tinubu introduced the 2025 budget, titled ‘Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity,’ during a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

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The comprehensive N49.70 trillion budget places significant emphasis on defense, infrastructure, and human capital development, with a projected deficit of N13.39 trillion to be financed through borrowing.

Addressing lawmakers, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to enhancing national security and improving key infrastructure.

The appropriation bill shows that N1.4 trillion has been allocated for pensions, gratuities, and retiree benefits. Of this amount, N2.3 billion is designated for former presidents, heads of state, and vice-presidents, while N10.5 billion is set aside for retired heads of service and permanent secretaries.

Retired university professors are slated to receive N13.5 billion, and retired heads of government agencies and parastatals will receive N1 billion, bringing the total allocation for these entitlements to N27 billion.

The budget also includes N46 billion for civilian pensions under the Office of the Head of Civil Service and N383.9 billion for military pensions and gratuities.

Other notable allocations include N66.8 billion for anticipated retirees, N434 million for administrative expenses, N596 million for pension running costs, and N870 million for medical retirees. Provisions have also been made for gratuity arrears from January 2019 to December 2021, with N2.7 billion allocated for this purpose.

Additionally, pension arrears are listed at N1.86 billion, and N2.2 billion is set aside for death benefits for the same period.

Related to security personnel, the budget provides N814 million for verification exercises and N43 billion for security debarment allowances, which includes arrears from 2017 to 2019. Pension arrears resulting from minimum wage adjustments total N330 million.

Other pension allocations include N24.8 billion for the Department of State Security, N42 billion for the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, N10.4 billion for police pensions and gratuities, and N10.3 billion for university pensions, including arrears. An additional N43.4 billion is allocated for parastatals and railway pensions.

The National Pension Commission is set to receive N804.7 billion, while N35 billion is earmarked for death benefits for deceased military personnel, N4.2 billion for civil servants, and N3.5 billion for police officers.