The presidential yacht contained in the 2023 supplementary budget submitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly is not for his use, the Presidency clarified on Thursday.
Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday.
Onanuga noted that the clarification became necessary in view of public reactions over the provision for what is termed presidential yacht and other line items in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation.
He said President Tinubu’s administration respects the views of Nigerians on all matters of public concern.
“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 statement said.
The presidential Spokesman added that 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 Defence.
“The total of the submitted requests was in excess of N200 billion out which N62 billion was approved by the President,” the statement added.
Tinubu, the statement stressed, is focused on securing the country and its territorial waters.
He further added that the Federal Government under Tinubu’s leadership is investing more resources to enhance greater economic output from oil and gas, marine and blue economy.
“In President Tinubu, we have a leader who understands the economic challenges being faced by the masses,” Onanuga said.
He also assured that the administration is working very hard to confront and surmount those challenges.
“Nigerians will soon get the benefits of the ongoing reforms that will certainly lead to a buoyant and improved quality of life for all citizens,” Onanuga said.
