2014 Budget Implementation Faulty, Can’t Meet Expectation Of Nigerians – Saraki

bukola-saraki1Former governor now Senator Representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has described the implementation of the 2014 budget in the country as faulty.

Saraki, who chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, said that contracts were just awarded by many federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The Senator made this known while fielding question from reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital yesterday.

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He said: “The last time we passed the 2014 budget, I got up and made a comment that I was not happy with the way the budget was passed because I believe that we did not deliberate enough on actual expenditure. Budget is an estimate and when you do not review your actual then it is likely that your revenue estimate may be wrong.

“In 2013 when we did budget estimate, we announced that we will produce 2.5 million barrels of oil and at the end of the day we only produced two million barrels and that distorted the budget.

“Again, in 2014 majority of the ministries’ contracts are just being awarded. So if they are just awarding contracts in October, is it possible to have implementation? The answer is no, these are some of the challenges that make us say the budget implementation is faulty and will not meet the expectations of Nigerians.

“I think, we ourselves at the National Assembly we need to review the way we go about the budget implementation, because for example the key issue is revenue as without revenue there can’t be expenditure. But if you open the news every month about six pages are dedicated to all the allocations given to every local governments”.