Lawmaker Wants Govt To Tackle Wastages

A federal legislator, Mr Abiodun Balogun, has called on the executive and the legislative arms of government to tackle the challenge of wastages in government business.

Speaking with journalist in Abeokuta on Tuesday, Balogun said that wastages were one of the major impediments of economic growth and national development confronting Nigeria today.

Balogun, who represents Ogun-waterside/ Ijebu- North and East, said that the legislature had cut down more down 50 per cent of its running cost in the past six months.

“Deliberately, we have cut down our running cost to block all the wastages in our spending. We expect the executive to follow this direction too.

“They have a lot aides and vehicles that are not needed and that will not add any value to our people and economy.

“We have discovered that more than 80 per cent of the executive budget is made up of recurrent expenditure and just 20 for capital. No nation can develop with that kind of arrangement.’’

He charged the executives to reduce the numbers of vehicles, aides and subordinates as well as overseas and local trips in the overall interest of Nigerians and Nigeria.

On the proposed removal of fuel subsidy, Balogun advised the Federal Government to make basic facilities available before such action would be taken.

‘’Removal of the fuel subsidy will make lives difficult for our people at this period, and as such we have to be cautioned before removing the subsidy.’’

Balogun, who is also the deputy chairman of House Committee on Petroleum, said that the 2012 Budget proposal did not show that the government would continue to subsidise petroleum products.