FG budgeted N4.9bn for environmental services in Aso Rock — yet rodents found their way to Buhari’s office

On Monday, a presidential source told TheCable that President Muhammadu Buhari — who just returned after a three-month medical vacation in London — will be working from his residence in Aso Rock.

The reason given for this was renovations in the president’s office.

However, Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, has come out with the news that the renovation was as a result of various damages rodents had caused.

“Rodents have caused a lot of damage to the furniture and the air conditioning units,” Shehu told THISDAY.

Checks by TheCable revealed that for 2017, N4, 953,184,635b was appropriated for annual routine maintenance of mechanical/electrical installations, building/civil and environmental services within and around Aso-Rock villa facilities.

These facilities include offices of the president and the vice-president.

There is another N139.4m for the maintenance of office buildings and residential quarters in the state house. Also, N52. 8m was appropriated for sewerage charges.

Reactions have continued to trail Shehu’s remarks, and some Nigerians are surprised how rodents could find their way into the president’s office.

“Did the cleaners/maintenance personnel attached to the office also go on the three-month leave with Buhari?” Ayuba Ayus, a Facebook user, asked.

Checking further, TheCable found that in the 2017 appropriation, the state house is to spend N40.8m on rehabilitation of animal enclosures, procurement of vet lab equipment, feeding and medication of wild and domestic animals in the state house zoo.

If the rodents that took over the president’s office while he was away are those from the state house zoo, then those in charge of feeding them should be questioned on why the rodents had nothing to eat, finding their way to feasting on the furniture in the president’s office.