As members of the Lagos State House of Assembly resumes today after three weeks of recess, there are strong indications that the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode may present to the assembly, a bill for the re-ordering of N489.69 billion, 2015 Appropriation Budget.
The reordering, according to informed source that preferred anonymity, became necessary in view of the present economic realities and to accommodate the attendant effect of the restructuring in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, in the state.
Sequel to this development, the governor had held several crucial stakeholders meetings with relevant government officials with the aim of working out modality for the budget re-ordering.
Therefore, Ambode, it was gathered has concluded plans to re-order the 2015 Appropriation Law, signed by Fashola on January 11th, 2015, which was a Sunday to specific.
A similar measure was taken in 2014 when the then Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, re-ordered 2014 Appropriation Bill to the tune of N11.66 Billion which arose as a result of increased need to spend a little more than anticipated on the delivery of state projects.
The reordered Budget of N11.66 Billion was made up of N7.2 Billion into recurrent expenditure and N4.46 Billion into capital expenditure representing a ratio of 51percent for capital to 49 percent for recurrent.
The budget estimate of 2014 has the same size of N489.69 billion with 2015.
Fashola explained that the move was in a move aimed at retaining the flexibility of government to meet the needs of the people that it serves.
Fashola explained that the move was in a move aimed at retaining the flexibility of government to meet the needs of the people that it serves.
It will be recalled that the 2015 Appropriation Bill, with the size of N489.69 billion, was presented to the State House of Assembly on Monday, November 24, 2014 with Capital to Recurrent ratio put at 51:49 for Year 2015, which was the same as Year 2014 Budget.
In his remarks before signing the bill into Law in January at the Lagos House, Marina, Fashola said, “As an article of faith, the way any government treats its budget defines how determined, how focused and how serious that government is in terms of service delivery to its citizens.”
He continued, “Half of the planning requires that any serious government should send its budget in advance of the end of the year”.
Ambode who is a Chartered Accountant, has been working within the budget estimates since assumption of office and with the reordering and subsequent approval of the state assembly, as well as executive signing into law, the pace of implementation is expected to intensify as MDAs could then access the full estimates provided for them in the budget.
Though, commissioners and aides are expected to be named by Ambode very soon, it is instructive to note that agencies of state government are allowed by law to access only the provisional estimates of 25 percent before the signing of budget into law.
Government officials have attributed the slow pace in the execution of government business to absence of kitchen cabinet and the re-structuring exercise in the state.
It was gathered that due to single treasury account being operated in line with the governor’s directive, it has been difficult moving cash from the treasury for various execution of work.
It was gathered that due to single treasury account being operated in line with the governor’s directive, it has been difficult moving cash from the treasury for various execution of work.
“Every single penny (money), has to be approved by the governor before payment, so it’s been difficult to get money out of the treasury these days. Things have changed.” Some of the government officials lamented.
However, another anonymous source said, “It aim at ensuring flexibility of the government in meeting the needs of the increasing population, especially the masses in the grassroots.”
The budget is an estimate of revenues and expenditures that will accrue to the state; the revenue that will accrue over the 12 months of the year as well as expenditures that will be incur.
It was gathered that the proposed re-ordering of the budget is expected to take care of basic issues such as; security, education, upgrade of road infrastructure, creation of employment opportunities, improvement of the health sector, food security, and transportation sector, among others.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment