At least 39 statutory agencies of the Federal Government are yet to submit their budget proposals for the 2017 fiscal year.
These agencies, which include Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), have continued to make huge extra-budgetary expenditure in breach of the Fiscal Responsibility (FRA) Act 2007. This was revealed by the Senate yesterday during a legislative session.
Section 21 of the law makes it mandatory for all departments and agencies of the government to submit their expenditure plans to the National Assembly for approval.
Also, the worry of the Senate is that with five months already into the financial year in question, the lack of submission and defence of budget proposals may lead to corruption in the agencies.
According to the Senate, the agencies were supposed to have submitted their estimates to the finance minister who would attach the same to the national budget for presentation by the President to the National Assembly. The exercise held last December.
Section 21 (1) of the FRA Act reads:” The government corporations and agencies and government-owned companies listed in the schedule to this Act (in this Act referred to as ‘the corporations’) shall, not later than six months from the commencement of this Act and for every three financial years thereafter and not later than the end of the second quarter of every year, cause to be prepared and submitted to the minister their schedule estimates of revenue and expenditure for the next three financial years.”
Subsection 2 notes: “Each of the bodies referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall submit to the minister not later than the end of August in each financial year: (a) an annual budget derived from the estimates submitted in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section; and (b) projected operating surplus which shall be prepared in line with acceptable accounting practices.”
Sub section 3 adds: “The minister shall cause the estimates submitted in pursuance of subsection (2) to be attached as part of the draft Appropriation Bill to be submitted to the National Assembly.”
Adopting an observation by Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah during plenary, the chamber flayed the high-handedness of some officials of government which tends to undermine the anti-corruption fight of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The lawmakers, thereafter, resolved that a proper debate be carried out on the matter today to determine their extent of alleged constitutional infractions.
The chamber warned that it would not tolerate any form of compromise in the name of strengthening ties with the executive arm of government to curb graft in the system.
The Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, submitted that the flagrant disrespect for existing laws guiding expenditure by the agencies was weakening the fight against corruption.
His words: “This is a very serious issue because as we all know, in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, these things are meant to have been submitted since August and should have come with the 2017 appropriation document. We have now passed it and no report. I think this matter really needs to come as a motion.”
GUARDIAN
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