President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking a reduction in recurrent expenditure and prioritisation of developmental projects in next year’s appropriation bill.
He has ordered the National Planning Commission (NPC) back to the drawing board to produce framework for the 2016 Budget in line with his vision.
The President gave the order after receiving a briefing from the Commission’s Executive Secretary Dr. Bassey Akpanyung at the Presidential Villa.
According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President told Dr. Akpanyung and directors in the NPC that capital projects must now be given utmost priority.
He was reported to have said that no nation can achieve real development without adequate investment in capital and infrastructural projects.
”In carrying out its role in surveillance of the economy, review and appraisal of policies, the commission should devise a plan for a realignment of the budget so that capital projects can be really prioritised,” the statement quoted the President as directing.
Akpanyung had informed the President that Nigeria’s planning system was beset by many challenges.
These challenges, he said, included the non-alignment of national plans with the annual budget and inadequate capacity in the Pepartments of Planning, Research and Statistics in the various government ministries.
-Nation
