11 essential things Fashola’s N78.3m website upgrade money can do

By Rotimi Akinola

Fashola said he'll soon tender and explanation. — Fashola said he’ll soon tender an explanation.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, former Lagos State Governor, is in the news for a very bad reason, most people would agree.

Last year, he used N78.3 million of taxpayers’ money to upgrade a personal website, Lagos State’s Public Procurement Agency says.

The government said the site was upgraded to document Fashola’s achievement in office.

Info Access Plus Limited, the company allegedly contracted to implement the upgrade said although only N12.5 million was earmarked for the project, it got just N10 million to carry out the upgrade on Fashola.Com.

We’re not concerned here about all those people. We want to take a look at what N78.3 million can do in the lives of ordinary Nigerians, and in the life of the U. S. President, Barack Obama.

1. That money will offset the cost of treating at least 11,185 victims of minor accidents at Lagos-based Eko Hospital.

The security guard got a deep cut just above his left eye. — Some weeks back, this security guard was injured in an accident at Bola Memorial Anglican Church, Lagos. A church official abandoned him at Eko Hospital after he was told the treatment would cost N7,000.

The medical facility charges N5,000 for card registration and N2,000 for treatment of such injuries. The fee is raised to N17,500 after 6:00 p.m., a medical staff told Newsroom.

Even at that rate Fashola’s website money will easily take care of over 4,474 of such accident victims.

2. It will pay the salaries of 4,350 government workers.

Nigerian workers are still "begging" the government to increase the N18,000 minimum wage/CREDIT: Next24Online.Com — Nigerian workers are still “begging” the government to increase the N18,000 minimum wage/CREDIT: Next24Online.Com

With Nigeria’s minimum wage set at N18,000 per month, Fashola’s website money will send 4,350 government workers smiling to the bank at the end of this month.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is pilling pressure on FG to raise the bar to N90,000. At that rate, Fashola will easily pay 870 government workers by this month’s end.

3. It will give you DSTV access for the next 5,600 months.

Fashola's website money will bring enough of Chelsea FC's Eden Hazard to your TV screen. — Fashola’s website money will bring enough of Chelsea FC’s Eden Hazard to your TV screen.

The English Premier League is here again, and everyone you know wants to watch it on DSTV. With the premium bouquet set at around N13,980…Fashola’s website money will give you uninterrupted access for 5600 months. How many years is that? Do the math.

4. Pay tuition fees for over 5,000 University of Lagos (UNILAG) students.

At the rate of N15,000 (medical insurance inclusive), that money will pay the tuition fee of 5,220 UNILAG students…and that’s about the most expensive in any federal university in Nigeria.

5. Fashola’s website money will pay the tuition for 3,132 students of Lagos State University (LASU).

Opponents say Fashola, as governor, did not reverse the hike in LASU fees as demanded by protesting students until it became politically convenient to do so.

The Lagos State owned varsity charges N25,000 only. It used to be over N120,000 under the administration of the former governor.

6. Empower 156 farmers.

GreenFarmProducts.Com says it costs N500,000 to start a small scale poultry farm of about 500 broilers.

President Muhammadu Buhari just said Nigeria can no longer solely rely on crude oil. He’s reported to have urged everyone to take to farming. Well, Mr. Fashola’s website money will easily raise 156 poultry farmers. That’s something.

7. The money will purchase UTME forms for 15,660 prospective undergrads.

That’s more than five times the number of candidates (3,000) the University of Ibadan said it will admit this year.

8. Feed over 78,000 Nigerian IDPs.

The photos were taken and leaked by IDP volunteer workers who were fed up with the plight of the people. — This is how some Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram in the northeast are fed. The photo was taken and leaked by an IDP volunteer worker who was “fed up with the plight of the people.”

At the rate of N1,000 Fashola’s website money will feed 78,300 internally displaced persons in a day.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which has been accused of always feeding the IDPs meatless rice will most likely appreciate the former Lagos governor for that.

9. That money will build 5,220 WordPress sites from scratch.

Ask the platform engineer at that local cyber café. It costs just N15,000 to build one. But some experts say you may need up to N300,000 to deliver a world class upgrade. At that rate, Fashola’s website money will easily upgrade 261 WordPress sites.

10. Fashola will pay Barack Obama’s salary for a whole year.

That’s right…N78,300,000 roughly equals $400,000. That how much the United States of America pays her President annually.

11. Buhari could have used it.

The money will buy APC nomination form for almost three people. If Fashola had given the funds to Buhari, the president would not have had to take a bank loan to purchase the N27 million form during the last general election…and there’d still be some change left. Yes, change!