When President Buhari presented that \u2018Budget of change\u2019 to the
\nNational Assembly on the 22nd of December, 2015 my thoughts were that one
\ncan bet one’s bottom dollar (in this case Naira), that it is Uhuru. The
\nbudget looked so promising with 30% proposed to be expended on capital
\nprojects. It looked a lot like a budget that promises so much for the man
\non the streets, what with the hope of improved infrastructures et al. It
\nlooked like we finally were shifting away from the norm.<\/p>\n
I started to get uncomfortable when rumours started having it that the
\ncontent of the budget proved nothing really changed. The figures and
\nprojects that were being bandied about were just unbelievable,
\nuncomfortable and ‘unBuharic’.
\nThe disagreement between Ministers and top civil servants on sums allotted
\nto their ministers and ‘sources’ at the Presidency blaming a budget Mafia
\non the discrepancies confirmed my fears. It is now clear that the National
\nbudget has always been a source of cleaning out our common wealth for some
\ncriminals within the civil service for like eons. Our National budgets
\nhave always been a copy and paste of monumental heist, back to back.
\nGood thing the National Assembly postponed voting on the budget citing
\n\u201cambiguities and paddings\u201d.
\nIt is quite outlandish that at a time like this when we are struggling as
\na Nation, with the drop in oil prices, we are planning to be wasteful.
\nThese are hard times which obviously is not the President fault, but
\nproposing this kind of budget for 2016 is whimsical to say the least.
\nI am an ardent supporter of this administration and I express my total
\ndisappointment that no one in the presidency took time to peruse, even
\nsparsely, the content of that Budget. That Budget goes against everything
\nPresident Buhari stands for.
\nThis budget is a total mess from the allocation for books for the Vice
\nPresident, medical expenses at the villa to spending millions on cables
\nand all. That is pure nugatory!
\nThis government is supposed to be moving away from the old order, not
\ncontinuing the impunity we just booted away and that is why it kills me
\nagain that nobody cared to take a proper look at it before it was
\npresented to the National assembly.
\nCommon,it is non-essential, spending hundreds of millions of Naira on
\nrenovations and furnishing of the Presidential villa. As kleptomaniac as
\nthe last government was, I do not think they would be petty enough to
\nempty the state house like they did our treasury. That\u2019s not their
\nstyle, that\u2019s measly for them. So what are we supposed to be
\nrefurbishing at the villa? There are other areas 3 billion Naira can be
\nchannelled into to benefit Nigerians.
\nI love this country and believe so much in this administration, I still
\nmaintain that President Buhari is the right man to take us out of the
\nquagmire we have perpetually found ourselves.This government has my total
\nsupport and I have to prove that by voicing out when I see a faux pas.
\nOne positive from this fiasco however is the fact that everyone is now
\ninterested in the National budget.Now we know we’ve been played by the
\ncriminals in the civil service over the years! Hitherto, nobody cared
\nabout it.The racketeering that has been going on for years has been
\nunravelled and that, my friends is wonderful.<\/p>\n
I said before the elections that the General would come in to clean this
\nAugean stable.This is one stench that he has stumbled on, albeit
\nunknowingly, that needs proper cleansing.Our budgetary process needs some
\nrestructuring ,say set up a budget think tank that would specialize in
\nbudget issues alone,so we do not ever get swindled again.
\nI know we have a listening President and that\u2019s why PMB as a matter of
\nurgency needs to withdraw that budget, properly revise it and give us the
\nbudget of change we deserve. That\u2019s not all. He also has to tender an
\napology to the nation as he cannot be absolved of any blame (at least
\ncomplacency) even with the budget Mafia being largely responsible. The
\nbuck stops at his table.
\nThat\u2019s not all. He just cannot assume that every part of this government
\nis conforming to his now famous body language. There are people who have
\ncorruption in their DNA (especially in the civil service) who cannot help
\nbut always pull a fast one on Nigeria.President Buhari has to identify
\nthis \u2018budget Mafia\u2019 and kill it before it kills us.
\nSomething has got to give for this National embarrassment. Heads have to
\nroll irrespective of whose it is.<\/p>\n