Buhari may sign 2016 budget on Friday

All appear set for the president, Mohammadu Buhari to assent to the appropriation act 2016, even as Federal Government Wednesday outlined 34 projects and programmes which would be accorded utmost priority to ensure optimal performance of the 2016 budget. This follows the anticipation of the presidential assent to the budget which may happen anytime soon.

The federal government said the action-plan was necessary to assist the present administration realize the objectives of the All Progressives Congress, APC embedded in the change agenda.

The plan was announced by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed after the Wednesday meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC presided over by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Addressing State House Correspondents alongside her colleagues which included the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Minister of state Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajia Khadijat Buka Abba, Ahmed revealed that 34 priority areas earmarked by the federal government for urgent attention.

The areas, she said, spanned through the economy, trade and investments, security, health, power, Oil/Gas and agriculture.

She hinted that the budget might also be signed into law by President Mohammadu Buhari any time soon.

In her words: “We discussed the strategic implementation plan for the 2016 budget‎.

“Our ministry's presentation was introducing to council for discussion priority economic activities that we need to undertake to ensure that the purpose for which the 2016 budget was made which is to stimulate the economy, to create jobs for our teeming youths and to extend support to the poor and very vulnerable is realized.

“We presented 34 strategic priority programmes that need to be realized within 2016. Each of these projects programmes has very clear deliverables and targets and indicators which will be measured to ensure that the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) deliver on what we committed to implement.

“These 34 specific areas are grouped into four major objectives. The first is policy, governance and security, second diversification of the economy, the third‎ is creating support for the poor and the vulnerable and the forth is reflecting our economy through investment.

“The paper was well received by council. We got some very positive comments and the 34 priority projects were approved for implementation.

-Emmanuel Ikechukwu