President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed reservations over
the “worrisome changes” made by the national assembly to the 2022 executive
budget.
On Friday, the president signed the N17.13 trillion 2022
appropriation bill into law.
The presidency had submitted a proposal worth N16.391
trillion to the national assembly. The lawmakers later increased the budget
size to N17.127 trillion.
In his remarks after signing the budget, Buhari said the
lawmakers reduced the amount allocated to some projects — but added 6,576
projects of their own to the 2022 budget.
‘‘It is in this
regard that I must express my reservations about many of the changes that the
National Assembly has made to the 2022 Executive Budget proposal,” he said.
‘‘Some of the worrisome changes are as follows:
‘‘Increase in projected FGN Independent Revenue by N400
billion, the justification for which is yet to be provided to the Executive;
‘‘Reduction in the
provision for Sinking Fund to Retire Maturing Bonds by N22 billion without any
explanation;
‘‘Reduction of the provisions for the Non-Regular Allowances
of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Navy by N15 billion and N5
billion respectively.
‘‘This is particularly worrisome because personnel cost
provisions are based on agencies’ nominal roll and approved
salaries/allowances;
‘‘Furthermore, an increase of N21.72 billion in the Overhead
budgets of some MDAs, while the sum of N1.96 billion was cut from the provision
for some MDAs without apparent justification;
‘‘Increase in the
provision for Capital spending (excluding Capital share in Statutory Transfer)
by a net amount of N575.63 billion, from N4.89 trillion to N5.47 trillion.’’
Buhari also expressed concern in the reductions in
provisions for some critical projects, including “N12.6 billion in the ministry
of transport’s budget for the ongoing rail modernisation projects; N25.8
billion from power sector reform programme under the ministry of finance,
budget and national planning; N14.5 billion from several projects of the
ministry of agriculture, and introducing over 1,500 new projects into the
budgets of this ministry and its agencies”.
‘‘Inclusion of new provisions totalling N36.59 billion for
National Assembly’s projects in the Service Wide Vote which negates the
principles of separation of powers and financial autonomy of the legislative
arm of government.
‘‘The changes to the original Executive proposal are in the
form of new insertions, outright removals, reductions and/or increases in the
amounts allocated to projects.
‘‘Provisions made for
as many as 10,733 projects were reduced while 6,576 new projects were
introduced into the budget by the National Assembly.
‘‘Reduction in the provisions for many strategic capital
projects to introduce ‘Empowerment’ projects.
‘‘The cuts in the provisions for several of these projects
by the National Assembly may render the projects unimplementable or set back
their completion, especially some of this Administration’s strategic capital
projects.
‘‘Most of the projects inserted relate to matters that are
basically the responsibilities of State and Local Governments and do not appear
to have been properly conceptualised, designed and costed.
‘‘Many more projects
have been added to the budgets of some MDAs with no consideration for the
institutional capacity to execute the additional projects and/or for the
incremental recurrent expenditure that may be required.’’
He declared that it was surprising that despite the national
assembly increasing projected revenue by N609.27 billion, the additional
executive request of N186.53 billion for critical expenditure items could not
be accommodated without increasing the deficit, while the sum of N550.59 billion
from the projected incremental revenues was allocated at the discretion of
national assembly.
The president said that he would revert to the national
assembly with a request for amendment as soon as the house resumes to ensure
that critical ongoing projects cardinal to his administration do not suffer a
setback due to reduced funding.
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