The inclusion of a “presidential yacht” in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriations Bill that was forwarded to the National Assembly has been justified by the Presidency.
Special Adviser to the President of Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, responded to the fury that accompanied the report of the item in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriations Bill by stating that it was, in fact, a budgetary request of the Navy through the Ministry of Defence and was only flagged as presidential because of the unique security fittings on it.
Since the government is a continuum, he added, all assets and liabilities of previous administrations now belong to Tinubu’s administration. He pointed out that the yacht is an operating naval vessel with specialist security devices and was requested in a budget submitted under a previous administration.
Onanuga said;
“Following public reactions over the provision for what is termed presidential yacht and other line items in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation presented to the National Assembly, it is important to provide some clarifications.
“First, we need to make clear that President Bola Tinubu’s administration respects the views of Nigerians on all matters of public concern. We thus consider it very imperative to clear any misconception and misunderstanding of the issues.
“What was named as Presidential Yacht in the budget is an Operational Naval boat with specialized security gadgets, suitable for high profile operational inspection and not for the use of the President. It is called presidential yacht by way of nomenclature because of the high level security features.
“The Naval boat was ordered by the navy under the previous administration. President Tinubu has consistently said that government is a continuum as he inherited both assets and liabilities of past administrations.
“The payment request for the boat was part of the committed obligation submitted by the office of the Chief of Naval Staff to the Ministry of Defense. The total of the submitted requests was in excess of N200 billion, out which N62 billion was approved by the President.
“President Tinubu is focused on securing our country and territorial waters. The Federal Government under his leadership is investing more resources to enhance greater economic output from our oil and gas, marine and blue economy.”
