Coming as the culminating budget of President Muhammadu Buhari’s successful four-year term in office, the budget proposal has in reality become a well articulated proposal for the continued development of the country’s economy, security and most importantly its infrastructural development which we all agree that it is in serious jeopardy, neglect and deficit inherited from previous governments.
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Presenting the proposals before the legislative arm of government in Abuja in December 2018, President Buhari explained that Nigeria had cause to cope with disruptions in oil production and exports, security challenges and devastating floods in 2018 which negatively impacted on the implementation of the 2018 budget. However, what is most significant is the incontestable fact that the government had tried hard to complete some abandoned projects of the previous administrations.
This is traditionally an uncommon attitude from our political office holders. He also embarked on new projects particularly in agriculture, education, power, roads, rail projects among others. Also included is the government’s first ever human faced social investment programmes (SIP).
Strategically the PMB administration has also sustained efforts to fight grand corruption and improve public finance through comprehensive implementation of the TSA, IFMIS and IPPIS. There has been a remarkable increase in federation account receipts in the last three months. He government has also put in place measures of strengthening tax collection, liquidation of recovered assets, immediate recovery of past due oil royalties charges and deployment of the national trade window to improve customs collections. These are by all standards great achievements that must be acknowledged and commended by all well meaning Nigerians.
According to President Buhari, the N8.83trillion 2019 budget is intended to ‘’further place the economy on the part of inclusive growth in order to continue to lift significant number of our citizens out of poverty’’. This includes N2.28trillion for capital and N2.29trillion for recurrent expenditures and N2.14trillion for debt servicing among others.
The PMB budget further demonstrates government’s commitment to deliver the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians in a more inclusive manner.
The simple truth about the 2019 budget proposal is that it is detailed and it is one that will serve the interests of Nigerians more. It is a budget of continuity and hope for all Nigerians. Therefore, the national assembly headed by Senate President Saraki has an onerous responsibility to consider and pass it in good time to enable the President implement the budget of continuity for the good of all and sundry. ria.
Musa Ilallah
musahk123@yahoo.com
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