Amid ongoing concerns about the management of the Nigerian economy under the current administration, which has contributed to significant hardship in the country, the National Assembly leadership is proceeding with plans to allocate 40 Prado Jeep SUVs to outgoing Commissioners of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC),Â
The development has sparked controversy, with some PCC workers viewing it as a questionable use of resources given the prevailing economic conditions in Nigeria, SaharaReporters further learnt.
Checks by SaharaReporters shows that a unit of Prado Jeep of 2022 model cost between N70 million to N100 million. This means that 40 units of the vehicle is around at least N2.8billion.
Some staff of the commission, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, revealed that the outgoing Commissioners of the commission were appointed into office by former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2021 for a single term of three years.
The SUVs were procured for them in 2022 Appropriations. After using the vehicles for barely two years, the vehicles are being onboarded to them at paltry N5million.
Lamenting the development, a staff of the commission told SaharaReporters that this was the height of wasteful spending under the current administration, revealing that another set of 38 Commissioners had been appointed and the commission is required to procure another 40 SUVs for them next year.
The source said: “Talking about wasteful spending, the Public Complaints Commission, an agency under the supervision of the National Assembly, bought 40 units of SUV for the Honourable Commissioners in year 2022.
“The Commissioners were appointed in 2021 and their tenure just ended in July, 2024 because it’s a three year appointment. They are about going away with the vehicles in 2024 under two years usage.
“Guess who is approving the onboarding of the vehicles at N5 million each for these guys? Your guess is as good as mine, the leadership of the National Assembly.
“The Senate President and the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the House of Representative are the ones facilitating the onboarding of the vehicles to the Commissioners at N5 million each,” the source noted.
The source questioned how a Prado jeep used for about two years could be sold at N5million.
According to the source, the House of Representative Committee on Public Petition chaired by Hon. Mike Etaba has repeatedly asked that the Honourable Commissioners should return the vehicles, following petitions from the staff of the Commission and Civil Society organisations (CSOs) against the Commissioners going with the vehicles.
He regretted that despite the opposition and outrage, the Honourable Speaker, Hon. Tajudden Abbas, wants the commissioners to go away with the vehicles.
The source queried, “Do you know the market value of the cars in today’s economy?
“They have just recently appointed new set of 37 Commissioners plus the Hon Chief Commissioner making 38 in all.
“Which ultimately means they will be making arrangements for purchase of another 40 units of SUVs 38 Prado Jeeps, 1 Land Cruiser Jeep and 1 Hilux in next year (2025) appropriation.”
The aggrieved staff explained that the Commission would be requiring not less than N3billion to purchase new ones for the newly appointed Commissioners.
“So much about cutting costs of governance by our leaders.”
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters Google search shows that the Toyota Prado Txl 2.7l AT sells for N70 million; the Toyota Prado Vx 4.0l AT goes for N77 million; the Toyota Rav4 2.4l Leather sells for N51 million, and the Toyota Rush Leather goes for N36 million in Nigerian market.
However, for second hand used Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2022 Cars sells from N9,470,000 in Nigeria. Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2020 Cars also sells from N13,200,000 in Nigeria and up.