2009 Budget: Stakeholders Want Implementation Committee

Stakeholders at a budget appraisal workshop have called on the Federal Government to set up a committee to review the implementation of the 2009 federal budget in the South East.

The five South East states are Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.

The stakeholders from different socio-economic interest groups, made the call in a communiqué issued after its workshop held in Umuahia on Wednesday.

The workshop, organised by South East Budget Network (SEBNET), is to review the implementation as well as socio-economic effect of the 2009 budget on the people and infrastructure in the South East geo-political zone.

The communique stated: “the committee should unravel the reason behind the release of only N41.367 billion for implementation of appropriations in the 2009 national budget for the South East Zone out of a total of N88.595 billion.

“Such committee set up by the President should also find out why only N21.319 billion was utilised out of the N41. 367 released by Ministries, Department and Agencies for execution of projects captured in the 2009 Federal Budget.

“The Federal Executive Council should find out if the 60 contractors given certificate of no objection for 60 projects to be executed in the South East in the 2009 have been mobilised to execute the projects,” the communique stated.

It called on the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission to investigate contractors handling projects in the zone.

The communiqué also advocated the setting up of a National Civil Society Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee to enhance effective participation and reporting of findings of civil society groups in the country on the implementation of budgets.

The communiqué was jointly signed by Mr Princewell Okorie, the Chairman and of SEBNET and Mr Damian Ogudike, the Public Relations Officer, respectively.