BudgiT Foundation Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) says it is pertinent for the National Assembly to guard against padding of the 2023 budget in view of the current economic reality.
The Country Director of the Foundation, Gabriel Okeowo, said this in yesterday a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja.
He said increasing the size of the 2023 budget proposal above the N20.5 trillion presented by President Muhammadu Buhari would weigh so much on the economy.
According to him, the economy is already battling inflation, high interest rate among other economic challenges and should not be further burdened with a budget that will prompt more borrowing.
“The National Assembly should make sure that they streamline the 2023 budget proposal to make it as implementable as possible.
“From what we have seen over the years, no matter the size of the budget proposal presented to the National Assembly, when it comes out, there will be insertions that will blow it up.
“For instance, the President while assenting to the 2022 budget said the National Assembly inserted several new projects.
“So, we have to start now to let the lawmakers know we are following up on the on-going budget defence by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),” he said.
From what we have seen over the years, no matter the size of the budget proposal presented to the National Assembly, when it comes out, there will be insertions that will blow it up.
He said the legislature should be able to stand its ground to ensure that it cuts down on frivolous items presented by MDAs.
He argued that if it is difficult to reduce borrowing to fund the budget, the National Assembly should then be stringent on items that would form it.
He, however, said if the National Assembly refused to take advice to streamline the budget proposal, the executive should reject it.
“On the side of the Executive, it also needs to sit up because democracy is a system that checkmates itself.
“If the National Assembly ends up not doing what it is supposed to do, the Executive should be able to stand its ground to return the budget for amendment.
“We should not for the sake of wanting to sign the budget into law by December, to keep to the January-December Calendar, mess up the credibility of the budget itself,” he said.
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