2017 Budget: ‘70 % Implementation Possible With Commitment, Accountability’

A university teacher,  Prof. Sarah Anyanwu, says Federal Government can implement 70 per cent of the 2017 budget just signed into law by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, with commitment and accountability.
The total budget figure signed is put at N7.44 trillion.
Anyanwu, the Head of Economics Department, University of Abuja, said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, the budget will also be realistic with honesty.
The National Assembly had on May 11, passed the budget, increasing the total sum by N143 billion compared to what was sent by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari had in December 2016, sent the N7.30 trillion budget, tagged “Budget of Recovery and Growth’’ to the National Assembly.
”If they work round the clock, they will achieve up to 60 to 70 per cent but the budget cannot be fully implemented.
”It cannot be fully implemented because there are some projects that are long term and they have to follow due process which may affect the implementation,’’ Anyanwu said.
The don said that another factor that could affect the full implementation of the budget was the deviation between amount budgeted and the one released.
She said that the budgeted and the actual release were not always the same.
”Again, with the short time, there will be problem with approval and releases, so many things that needed to be done will not be done.
”So, we cannot expect full implementation of the budget.
” It is now left for the Finance Minister to work round the clock for the releases because so many Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will be rushing to get their money out.
”Also, the money is not there, the country relies on oil; it sells monthly before it shares the money because the government don’t have the money on ground to give,’’ she said.