Monday, May 23, 2011
THISDAY, Vol. 16, No. 5873, Page 19
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THIS8DAY Editor Simon Kolawole Deputy Editor . CoUins Edomaruse Editor, Nation's Capital Nduka Nwosu
Managing Director Eniola BeUo Deputy Managing Directors Ka¥ode Komolafe, Okey lfionu Editorial Board Chairman Yusuph Olaniyon,u
Where is the 2011 'Budget?
F
ive months after the commencement of the present fiscal year, the nation is yet to have its annual budget in place. The economy, therefore has been running on the basis of anticipated approval. The law however allows for the maximum period of six months to run the economy without operating the annual budget. Beside the late submission of the budget proposal which affected prompt treatment by the lawmakers, the budget has been seemingly problematic because of the discrepancies between the figures proposed by the executive and the ones eventually passed by the legislature. The executive had proposed the sum of N4.226 trillion based on the projection of $65 benchmark for crude oil sales of 23 million barrels per day (bpd). But the lawmakers jacked up the figures by N747 billion thus raising the £ntire figure to N5 trillion. They also upped the benchmark to $75 per barrel. The wide gap between what was proposed and what \Vas appropriated had caused near disaffection between both arms of government, especially as the Finance minister, Olusegun Aganga had described the passed budget as ''impracticable''. The controversy that followed had, in no small way, delayed the signing of the Bill into law by the President who has since returned it to the National Assembly. Both arms of government had thus sought how to ''restructure'' the Bill to make it implementable. But this may have even been further jeopardized with the recent discovery that a whoping sum of N200 billion was further added to the figures passed by the harmonized session of both chamb~rs of the National Assembly. This is as scandalous as it is crintinal. Those behind this malfeasance should be brought to book. "
We are disturbed not only by the overall delay in having the budget, but more on the factors that have occasiQned the delay. First, we are concerned about, how too often, the lawmakers in the exercise of their appropriation functions unilaterally inflate the figures in the Bill, so much that the eventual figures passed are radically different from what was sent. The Appropriation Bill is an executive bill. It is for the sake of checks and balances that the legislature has to vet and approve what the executive has proposed to spend. That right, we believe, does not amount to the comprehensive re-configuration of the budget outlook, as we have seen in recent past. Yes, the appropriation may require a re-jig of the budget heads, figures, and areas of emphasis, etc; but it hardly demands
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·. LEADERs & COMPANY LOOrnn Edit~r-in-Chi~Ch~: Nduka obaigbena Group Executive Director: . Eniola BeUo Divisional Directors: Simon Kolawole, Ennmanuel Efeni, Ismellwegbu, Benjie lhenyen Associate Directors: Peler Iwegbu, 'Gbayode Somuyiwa
General Managers: Fidelis Eema, Labake Yembra, Dele Ogbodo, Patrick Eirniuhi Deputy General Manager: Angela Okhakume . Group Heads: Ferni Tolufashe, Sola Obisesan, Morooph AlIi, Peler l!akare,.Ugochukwu Nnakwe Art Director: ~hi,Ogbuak\lll • ';
Head .of Printing ProdiJcliori: Obi Azuru . , ., General Cliimsel: Chinwe IzOgbu(Nalio~'s Capital) '"
;. '" '." r' ' . Director-otPbo~pbY: 'Simmi Smart~o;~,' Co~lribUtingEciit«: Fui!ke'Aboyiide '
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the wholesome padding the budget often suffers in the hands of the lawmakers. In the name of constituency projects, the legislators have always introduced strange projects into the budget, resulting eventually in bloated figures. There are hardly justification, beside self, for the bloated figure. At other times, the lawmakers surreptitiously demand inducement before approving budgets. We believe all these are patently wrong, as they hamper the growth of the economy. And because of their compromised stance on the budget, they are hardly able to exercise appropriate or thorough oversight function on the executive arm. The consequence is that the nation bleeds and suffers. We believe that public interest should be put far above the narrow and personal interests that have often marred the nation's budgets. This explains, why several times, the budgets also perform woefully, especially as the bloated figures are hardly provided with commensurate source of revenue to execute strange projects engrafted into the bill. If in the months of May, the budget is not in place, do we need soothsayers to know that the budget will perform poorly at the end? It is such tardy acts that result in the return of unspent funds to the treasury at the end of the year. Meanwhile, the development of the country remains held up. All said, both executive and legislature must work out ways and means of ensuring that the nation's budget does not keep suffering the same fate year-inyear-out. National interest should govern the attitude and attention give to the budget.
LEITERS
Letters for publication should be emailed to: opinion @thisdayoline.com or addressed to The Editor: TI-lISDAY, 35, Creek Road Apapa. P. O. Box 54749, Faiomo, lkoyi, Lagos or fax to: 234-1-4600267,3203038 & 08022924721. Letters must be short and not more than 250 words
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nadequate food production Seems to be general across the world today. Frumer's predicament includes global wanning that metamorphose to weather hazards like (excessive heat), flood disaster, earthquakes, tsunami in many parts of the world '. Many farmern in the world experienced crop failure due to devastating effect of the weather and above men-
Nigeria and Global Food Shortage Year-in-year out, food crops produc- e mergency . transporters (rid_ing 1 matters. tioned hazards, Seventy percent of food available in our tion in Nigeria has been in decline and Okadas). Even through heavy casual-! TIle fresh maize which normally local market particularly rice, caned food population continues to grow, Increase ties are recorded daily due to the dan-! bring Succor to the common man durand host of others are imported. With glob- in food production is therefore a must. gerous trend of the business yet people ! ing its season has become things of the al food production being threatened, future TIle middle-aged that are supposed have to survive, no thanks to the; past due to competition. Also, high to be engaged in fanning have become nation 's inefficient transportation sys- cost of diesel coupled with irregular food importation may hit the rocks. tern especiaUy railways, coupled with! power supply contributes in no smaU bad roads within the urban and rural; measure to the food decline in the areas. i country. and late supply of fertilWe suggest that the government i Public servants are expected to be ticipate in partisan politics is, therefore, izerInadequate to the farmers is anotl,er hin-: should focus and put more attention to ! impartial agents of the sta~e. TIley are restricted and limited to: exercising their drance to self sufficiency in the fannern ' plight. Fanning tools, fertiliz! to serve and be loyal to the government personal opinions and beliefs on political nation's food industry. i er, fund and aU that are necessary to i of the day, notwithstanding their polit- issues as citizens guaranteed under the food demand is greater! engage in meaningful , productive and i icaJ convictions. opinions or affilia- freedom of conscience, of publication thanCurrently, supplies on food crops. This fac-! profitable fanning must be put in i tions. Anyone who therefore enters the and of expression exercising their adult tor gives room to food-price inflation;! place. ! public service must remain a loyal suffrage rights as stipulated by provisions many essential foods are out of reach! FmaUy, li ve stOl,k frumers need to ! agent of the public institution and must of constitutional franchise and limited to (table) of the cornmon man because of: shift to production t'f livestock with i be neutral on aU partisan issues beyond voting for persons or party(s) of their the exorbitant prices. j less competition with mIlO. ()11 availi carrying out his official responsibilities choice at elections. TIle mte at which livestock and man i able food crops especia?/j'ItU, '!IS). ! and civic duties. -ElL JadesofD, compete with grains is not helping i-Emmanuel ~--, . i TIle rights of public servants to par-
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Public Servants as Politicians
W
henever a public servan t e ngages
in partisan politics, helshe has come to an end of being a public servant. According to public service rules, and the principles of public administration in 'Briti~h Commonwealth , public servants\civil servants, in state-owned insti-
tutions, public corporations, local government services. boards, agencies are 'barred' from participating in partisan pol-
itics.
Ado-EkiJi.
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: Lasos
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