The Nigerian Senate has observed
that the 2018 budget was “heavily padded, inconsistent, full of errors and
inaccuracies.”
Senate President Bukola Saraki,
who made this revelation at the plenary, yesterday, said, the executive arm
must sit up, warning that disaster was lurking if the 2017 budget was not
rolled over to 2018.
“Truly, it is very disheartening
and disappointing because we know how much we have put into the budget
process,” he said.
Senator Saraki noted the
submissions of senators over their discoveries of poor budget implementation in
2017 and inconsistencies in the claims by Ministries, Departments and Agencies
of the Federal Government during the budget defence sessions.
“By now, 2017 budget should have
been implemented by up to between 40 and 60 per cent, but this has not been the
case. This makes it very difficult for us, we cannot turn into magicians. I
continue to appeal that you work within what you have and let us do our best to
ensure that we have a budget that is in the interest of Nigerians.
“The executive on their part
should sit up and not just make rhetoric, but get down to work. If 2017 budget
items are not rolled over to 2018 that is a disaster. Let the executive show
some seriousness towards the budget exercise.”
The outflow of outrage followed a
point of order raised by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah,
APC, Kebbi South, who queried the submissions made by the MDAs during the
budget defence sessions.
According to Na’Allah, the
pronouncements made by the President and his aides on the execution of the
budget was not reflective in the submissions being made by heads of the MDAs.
“When we suspended plenary, it
was with the idea that the committees will swing into action so we can have a
tentative date to pass the budget. From what I have seen, we might run into
troubled waters. If we have not appreciated what the problems are, it is
important for Nigerians to come here and understand what the problem is.
“The template we are using will
continue to create problems for us. It was created during the Military era. The
template cannot work in our country today. From reports we have had, it is
obvious that we have problems. We need to know what the problems are. If we
have a 2017 budget that has not been executed today and we are considering the
2018 budget, it means there is a problem.”
Contributing, to the motion,
Senator Barnabas Gemade, APC, Benue North East suggested that the consideration
of the 2018 budget be suspended and that the lifespan of the current 2017
budget be extended till end of March of 2018.
“What we have seen is far from
the 40 per cent capital project implementation we were told. In many MDAs,
budget performance is hovering between 12 to 15 percent.
“In early November, the borrowing
plans were brought, and we approved it. They said they were going to release
more funds. As of now, we cannot say if that is true.”
On his part, Senator Dino Melaye,
APC, Kogi West said the 2018 budget proposal was “garnished with deception.”
“Enough is enough. We must ensure
that the 2017 budget is properly implemented. We must ensure that the budget is
an elitist. What they have brought to us is a just a proposal. We need to give
Nigerians a budget that will benefit Nigerians,” he said.
Upon the submissions, the
President of the Senate, Senator Saraki summed up the contributions with an
admonishment that the executive should get its acts together.
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