KNOCKS AS SENATE STARTS BUDGET DEBATE; A SENATOR SAYS 2014 BUDGET WORST DEAL FOR NIGERIANS The Senate yesterday began the clause-by-clause consideration of the 2014 budget. Though some lawmakers hailed the fiscal estimates, others saw it as the nation’s worst. Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba described the budget proposal as well structured to improve and address critical areas of the economy. But Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North) described it as the “worst deal for Nigerians”. Ndoma-Egba said the Appropriation Bill sought to authorise the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation with N4.642 trillion as against last year’s N4.9 trillion. The Senate Leader outlined the budget breakdown as follows: Statuary transfers = N399,687,801,891; Debt Service = N712,000,000,000; Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure = N2,430,665,361,597 and Contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure = N1,100,606,836,512. Senate Minority Leader George Akume (APC, Benue) regretted that though the budget represents the engine room of growth and development in any economy, the Minister of Finance had not presented relevant documents to the Senate to enable the legislators make meaningful contributions. The senator faulted the use of SURE-P funds for too many things, instead of concentrating them on specific sectors of the economy. He wondered why the Federal Government was making allocation for the Joint Venture Cash Call when other Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member-states had stopped the practice. Akume noted that though N268 billion was voted for SURE-P, Nigerians were still running abroad for medical treatment. He said the SURE-P funds were being expended on areas where the rich and the privileged in the country lived. According to him, though there are several guest houses in the Presidency, N700 million has been voted for another VIP lodge in the Villa while a teaching hospital is allocated a paltry N300 million. Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North) said: “I will describe this budget as the worst deal for Nigerians.” Majority of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators shouted him down for the comment. The intervention of the Senate President saved the situation from degenerating into a shouting match. Mark warned that lawmakers should be allowed to make their contributions, whether positive or negative, without interference. Lawan said while budgets in other countries help the poor and vulnerable in any society, Nigeria’s budgets are used to feather the nests of the rich and powerful. The senator regretted that though the 2013 recurrent expenditure was fully implemented with other extra-budgetary spending, the capital budget only had about 50 per cent performance. According to him, while five million Nigerians get 74 per cent of the budget – which represents the recurrent expenditure – the remaining 165 million people are left with 26 per cent – which is for capital expenditure. Lawan said of the 26 per cent capital expenditure, the government might end up implementing only half of it. This, the senator said, would translate to 13 per cent for Nigerians. bioreports.net/news/knocks-as-senate-starts-budget-debate-a-senator-says-2014-budget-worst-deal-for-nigerians/
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 08:37:43 +0000
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