Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade
Agba said that the mandate to return the country to the January-December
budget cycle represented a great stride towards institutionalizing
predictions about the economic direction of Nigeria.
Agba said that the new budget cycle would also bolster the confidence of
investors and development partners in Nigeria’s economy with concomitant
growth and development.
In his closing remarks during the breakdown of the 2020 budget proposals
in Abuja on Monday, the minister assured Nigerians that the 2020 budget
would sustain growth and galvanise job creation.
He expressed confidence that with the continuous support for President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, “we will surmount the challenges to
the attainment of the country’s God-given destiny as a nation.”
He also said that there was a need to create a brand new paradigm in the
management of our national economy through proper planning, stressing
that “to pass the final litmus test, the country’s new push, coming on
the heels of Mr President’s commitment to take 100 million Nigerians out
of poverty in the next 10 years, will be accountable and inclusive.”
He further stated that the 2021 budgetary process would commence early
so as to ensure more engagements and achieve robust contributions in
order to have a better budget for the country.
According to Agba “a team has been set up in the Ministry to look at the
next successor plan to the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and
the Vision 2020, which would both come to an end in December next year.
He noted that “the current budget is a derivative of the Economic
Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP),” pointing out that “our focus is on the
priority areas.”
On Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, the Minister said that revenues
generated in the past were not effectively used, resulting in the huge
deficit gap that existed and was evident in all sectors of the economy.
Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Finance Dr
Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, in his remarks, expressed optimism that the 2020
budget, when passed, would lead to sustained growth and job creation.
He urged all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to
implement the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System
(IPPIS) scheme in their various institutions.