NLC calls for review of budget process

The Nigeria Labour Congress( NLC) has said  that the  on-going controversy over the padding of the 2016 budget indicates  the  weaknesses in our budgeting process and  underscores the need for a thorough revisit.  In a statement issued the NLC and signed  by its  president, comrade Ayuba Wabba said  the budget  padding brouhaha   also revealed  the […]

The Nigeria Labour Congress( NLC) has said  that the  on-going controversy over the padding of the 2016 budget indicates  the  weaknesses in our budgeting process and  underscores the need for a thorough revisit.
 In a statement issued the NLC and signed  by its  president, comrade Ayuba Wabba said  the budget  padding brouhaha   also revealed  the imperfections and the distrust in project identification/implementation system and consequent failure of the present model of capital budgeting without a development plan framework.
 He said, “It shows that projects are not implemented according to needs-value or priority but who is behind which.
 “In light of the foregoing, we wish to state that instead of going after individuals, government should do a soul-search as well as x-ray a budgeting system that fails to address the needs of the people.
“ We caution against the use of the present development to settle political scores or unduly weaken the National Assembly.’’
 Wabba said that a strong National Assembly is a necessity for a vibrant democracy, urging Nigerians to be slow to anger in matters of this nature even as they have little or no reason to be too trusting of any political office holder, so that in the end, they do not end up victims of other peoples’ wars.