Nigeria Senate has expressed
concerns over bogus annual budget without commensurate implementation as the
debate for 2018 appropriation bill begins on Tuesday.
The N8,612,236,953,214 (Eight
Trillion,Six Hundred and Twelve Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-six million,
Nine Hundred and Fifty Four Thousand,Two Hundred and Fourteen Naira budget drew
the ire of the upper chambers, who said that there was poor implementation of
2017 appropriation.
The two critical issues that
dominated Tuesday’s debate, as observed were implementation and cost
analysis of the 2017 appropriation considered as the worst by the Senate in
Nigeria’s history.
As Senators took turns to
contribute, Ben Murray Bruce stressed the need to cut costs. He emphatically
said, some government agencies have outgrown their usefulness.
He was emphatic that the Voice of
Nigeria (VON), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Federal Radio Corporation of
Nigeria (FRCN), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) be sold to staff of those
agencies so that they could be properly managed.
“Mr President, distinguished
colleagues,
let us look at agencies that
makes no sense, FRCN, sell it. The staff of FRCN has 8,000 workers. Sell it.
Sell NTA to the staff. Who listens to Voice of Nigeria again?”
“The staff should form
cooperative society and buy them like Chief Obafemi Awolowo did in those days.”
While budget implementation
analysis was divided along party lines, there was unanimity that some
irrelevant agencies should be scrapped.
Senator Gbenga Ashafa said that
implementation of 2017 appropriation was 37%, adding that government was set to
over come those hiccups that were responsible for the abysmal performance.
He commended government for
capturing South East in railway proposals in the current budget.
In his ruling, Deputy Senate President,
Ike Ekweremadu emphasised that those government media institutions and other
agencies not relevant may be scrapped.
Budget debate continues on
Wednesday.
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