Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, has
\nhighlighted ways to improve budget process and implementation in Nigeria,
\nlamenting that since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic rule,
\nnational budgets have failed to yield satisfactory results to the people.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a colloquium on Budget Matters in Abuja organized by
\nOrderpaper.ng, Nigeria’s premier Legislative Online Newspaper, he stated
\nthat the entire budget process must undergo a reform to make it more
\neffective and impactful on the lives of the Nigerian people.<\/p>\n
Specifically, Dogara said a critical look should be taken at the operation
\nof Financial Year to ensure that its 12 month period is fully completed
\nbefore another budget implementation begins. This is just as he added that
\nthere must also be a conscious effort to complete ongoing projects before
\nnew ones are introduced in order to stop wasteful spending.<\/p>\n
Speaking directly to Section 318 of the Constitution, he noted that “a
\nsituation where an approved budget is not allowed to operate for 12 months
\nis constitutionally unacceptable.<\/p>\n
This is the main reason for failure of budget implementation every year
\nand the cause of abandoned projects that litter the Nigerian landscape.
\nWhen projects are not completed, the nation is terribly shortchanged as
\nthe money and effort invested are lost.<\/p>\n
In this regard, we must institute a compulsory mechanism that rolls over
\nmajor projects that are not completed in one budget year into the
\nfollowing year’s budget. The current practice of not including on-going
\nprojects in the following year’s budget is a huge waste of resources.”<\/p>\n
The speaker also stressed that the National Assembly is constitutionally
\nempowered to make final input on the budget in Nigeria, just as is the
\ncase in any presidential system, in line with Section 4 which grants
\ngeneral law making powers to the National Assembly; Section 80,
\nparticularly 80(2); 80(3) and 80(4) which are unambiguous, Sections 4, 59,
\n80-82, and others, including Finance (Control and Management) Act, CAP
\nF26, LFN 2004 and\u00a0 the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.<\/p>\n
“Those who contend that the National Assembly cannot increase the budget
\nbut can only reduce it are trying to import the British parliamentary law
\ninto a presidential system of government. In the British parliamentary
\nsystem, the Crown has prerogative over money supply and the legislature is
\nspecifically prohibited from increasing the budget.<\/p>\n
It should be noted that the critical difference is that Parliament under a
\nparliamentary system includes all the Ministers unlike the presidential
\nsystem where the Ministers are not part of the National Assembly. It is
\ntherefore the decision of the Executive that carries the day in Parliament
\nas the Ministers are also leaders of Parliament.<\/p>\n
This position is therefore justified on the basis of separation of powers
\nwhich is inherent in a Presidential democracy as practiced in Nigeria. In
\naddition, if the Constitution intended that the National Assembly should
\nnot have power to increase a budget item it should have said so,” the
\nspeaker said.<\/p>\n
He also explained, “Nigeria’s budgeting system is closer to the model
\npracticed in the United States of America, where Congress has authority to
\nalter, increase, reduce or indeed introduce new budget items. Article 1,
\nSection 9 of the United States Constitution provides that: \u201cNo money shall
\nbe drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of Appropriations made by
\nlaw\u201d.<\/p>\n
This provision is similar to Section 80 of the Nigerian Constitution. The
\nprinciples disclosed are that First, All monies are paid into the USA
\nTreasury and in the case of Nigeria, all Funds are paid into the
\nConsolidated Revenue Fund or other Public Funds of the Federation.<\/p>\n
Secondly, No money can be withdrawn from the Treasury of the United States
\nof America except through Appropriation. In Nigeria, any withdrawal from
\nthe Consolidated Revenue Fund or other Public Funds of the Federation can
\nonly be made in pursuance of authorisation of the National Assembly.”
\nOn the role of budget in accelerated economic development, Dogara that the
\nannual budget is the vehicle provided by law for the acquisition,
\nallocation and distribution of resources for socio-economic development of
\nthe nation.<\/p>\n
This, he continued, therefore means that the government must ensure that
\nthe budget captures national priorities on developmental objectives and
\npriorities of the nation, with respect to poverty reduction, increased
\nemployment opportunities, relevant infrastructural development like power
\nsupply, mining and solid Mineral development; transportation services such
\nas road construction, provision of rail services, seaports and airports.
\nIt provides for social and economic development services such as
\neducation, health, food security, housing, security of lives and property,
\nhuman capital development and social services.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Speaker Dogara said a budget should reflect not just national
\npriorities but also the priorities of the ruling party, noting that “as
\nour democracy matures, elections would be based on contrasting visions of
\ndevelopment which are submitted to the electorate to decide. Therefore,
\nwhen a political party comes to power, it would be ready to govern from
\nday one, based on the programmes and vision placed before the electorate.
\nOf course, the new government must conduct a proper audit of the situation
\nof things in various sectors to understand the system and recalibrate its
\npolicies, where necessary. The budget is one of the major means of
\nachieving these.”<\/p>\n
Dogara urged President Buhari to make full disclosure on the national
\nbudget size to include all sources of revenue and expenditure of all
\ngovernment agencies including NNPC, CBN and others as an integral part.<\/p>\n
While commending the president for attaching details of NNPC and CBN
\nbudgets to the 2016 proposal, he also affirmed the resolve of the House to
\nconduct proper oversight on the implementation of the 2016 budget, which
\nhe has directed all committees of the House to begin.<\/p>\n
Going further, he disclosed, “It is as a result of all these observed
\nanomalies and need for change and reform that I recently announced that
\nthe House will set up a Budget Reform Committee to undertake a thorough
\nand holistic review of all issues relating to the budget to ensure due
\nprocess, more transparency, better accountability, openness and value for
\nmoney.<\/p>\n
This Committee will comprise experts and professional organisations and
\nwill work in liaison with the Senate and the Executive branch.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, has highlighted ways to improve budget process and implementation in Nigeria, lamenting that since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n