The Federal Government has earmarked N500billion of the projected N6.04trillion 2016 budget for social welfare packages for the vulnerable in the society which the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had earlier promised.
This was even as the entire 2016 budget profile of N6.04trillion is based on deficit of N2.22trillion on account of N3.82trillion projected as total revenues  expected by federal government in the year 2016.
As contained in a Medium Term Expenditure Framework ( MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper ( FSP) , forwarded to the National Assembly  Tuesday by President  Buhari  the  federal government is to collaborate with state governments in the implementation of the N500billion worth social welfare packages to the low income group of the society. .
The MTEF document read in part, “ The federal government will collaborate with state government to institute well structured social welfare intervention programmes such as , school feeding programme initiatives, conditional cash transfer to the most vulnerable, and post NYSC GRANTS.
Buhari explained that these interventions will start as pilot scheme and work towards securing the support of donor agencies and development partners in other minimize potential risks.
He also noted that a phased social welfare programme will be created to cater for larger population of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians upon the evidence of children’s enrollment in school and evidence of immunization.
On the planned rationalization of MDAs, the president stated that government would adopt a three- pronged approach in the management of public financial resources by improving on revenue generation , collection, and quality spending in a manner that would enhance transparency , accountability and results in service delivery.
He said that Government will, in the near to medium -term, continue to prone the size of the federal government and its NDAs to more efficient level without compromising efficiency and effectiveness.
His words  ”Over the medium term however, government will revisit the need to rationalize the agencies of government and strategically implement relevant provisions”.
On the TSA, Mr President  said  that the implementation of Treasury Single Account ( TSA), would be fully complemented with full implementation of the Integrated PayRoll and  Personnel Information System ( IPPIS) in all MDAs which would result in additional savings.
The proposed budget, according to the President which aims at curtailing the federal government expenditure profile, will cut down on the mounting number of claims for increases in salaries and allowances including pensions and other
According to the  MTEF document ,  N150billion  is earmarked for fuel subsidy , N115 billion for the National Assembly as against N120 billion earlier projected,  N29 billion for amnesty programme in the Niger Delta and  N45billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Other prominent projections in the  MTEF are N77.11 billion for Universal Basic Education ( ÜBE), N1.20billion for Public Complaints Commission ( PCC) and human rights , etc.
The budget represents a 30%  increament in the capital expenditure for 2016 as against  the 2015 budget.
Agriculture, Education, Health, Road maintenance , security, water supply and Defence got priority votes in the proposal with additional focus on human and infrastructure development.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi