The federal government spent N4.8 billion in 2011 to pay school fees of Nigerian diplomats’ children; this emerged as ministries, departments and parastatals faced lawmakers to defend their annual budget.
The House of Representatives foreign affairs committee headed by Nnena Elendu-Ukeje said she was surprised at the money the foreign affairs ministry spends annually on school fees.
The ministry has to that effect proposed to spend N5.2 million this year, though lawmakers believe that it will still be raised . Lawmakers revealed that ministry officials have presented such fees in bulk without giving any details about the beneficiaries. The amount pays the school fees for diplomats and their staff in almost 200 missions run by Nigeria in different parts of the world.