Since the return of democratic governance in Nigeria, the national budget has been a source of politicking. In most cases, controversies always spring up over supremacy tussles between the executive, and the legislative arms. So, the drama trailing the 2018 budget currently being considered by the National Assembly is not new. JOSHUA EGBODO writes.
Initial headache
Before President Muhammadu Buahri could lay the N8.612 trillion 2018 budget bill before a joint session of the National Assembly on November 7, 2017, anger was in the air, with lawmakers, irrespective of political party leanings so bitter about the failure of concerned MDAs to implement their zonal intervention projects, most popularly known as constituency projects. There were reported plot by opposition members to even boo the President in the process.
It, however, took the smart moves of the incumbent Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, who was just few days on the saddle, by engaging the leadership of the National Assembly, to give Buhari a smooth ride into laying the budget bill. Even when there were no official confirmations that the supposed courtesy visit of the new SGF was to wet the ground, Speaker of the House of Representatives was so clear in his budget speech message.
The Speaker while insisting on the need for the President to continually lobby the parliament, an act that is apparently absent with the current regime, specifically appreciated the SGF’s moves by saying; “permit me to single out the newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the federation, Bar. Boss Mustapha, who only yesterday November 6), in an unprecedented move, visited the leadership of both Houses of the National Assembly to canvass support for government policies and to strengthen the often strained executive – legislative relations”.
Discordant tunes
With the budget laid, discordant voices were to come up when on November 18, the House of Representatives commenced debate on its general principles. Opening debate on the bill was Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, who appealed to his colleagues not to lose sight of the ideas behind the bill which seeks to consolidate on the gains already achieved by the Buhari’s government. The Leader’s appeal was a fallout of stern objections by some opposition lawmakers that demanded for suspension of the debate until work on the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), is concluded as required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
Dramatically, some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were also of the opinion that it would amount to illegality to continue debating the budget, when the MTEF was not ready. This, to many followers of such matters in the House, suggested that it was not just the issue of opposition filibustering as is normally the case anymore, but a deeply rooted disenchantment over the poor performance of the current government in budget implementations.
It took several interventions of the Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuff, by giving assurance that the debate as commenced would only be a stop-gap measure that will not necessary lead to the passage of the Bill through second reading until the MTEF is dealt with, adding that commencing debate on the budget without passing the MTEF does not amount to passing the budget itself, as question on the bill can be deferred to a later legislative day until the MTEF is passed.
Gbajabiamila, who admitted the correctness of the objections raised, however noted that they were “absolutely correct because we cannot be seen to violate our own law which we passed in this House. As it is the practice, the MTEF cannot be left hanging for us to commence debate on the budget, but we can in line with your ruling seeking the indulgence of the House to allow the debate, and also urge our colleagues to show understanding, that this would enable us reduce the work load on the document”.
To his colleagues therefore, he said “let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture of this budget with regards to issues of job creation, anti-corruption war, insecurity and provision of infrastructure that would serve the best interest of our citizens”.
Constituency projects debate
However, in his contribution, Hon. Denis Agbo, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Enugu State raised concerns over non- implementation of zonal intervention (constituency) projects by the executive in the 2017 budget, stressing that those projects have direct impact on the lives of the over 170million Nigerians in the nooks and crannies of the country.
“Of the entire capital allocation, zonal intervention project is just about 3.4 percent of capital expenditure and I see no reason why government will not implement it”, he argued.
Also in his submissions, Hon. Tahir Monguno, of the APC from Borno State, said there was need for the House as a responsible legislative institution to take the bull by the horn in demanding adequate implementation of budgets. Several other members spoke on the bill all through the allotted days for debate, in a glaring manner that showed dissatisfactions.
MTEF hurdle cleared
On December 5, the House approved the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), setting stage for committees to begin work on the 2018 budget.
The House, while adopting recommendations of its joint Committee on Finance, Appropriations, Aids, Loans and Debt Management, Legislative Budget and Research, and National Planning and Economic Development, however pegged crude oil benchmark price at $47 per barrel for the 2018 fiscal year, against the recommended $45 by the executive arm.
But with the MTEF ready, and the House suspending its regular plenary to allow standing committees engage government MDAs with a view to appraising their respective performance of the 2017 budget, as well as defence of their 2018 proposals, much was yet to be seen in that regard.
To many analysts, it appeared there was no much to be done in terms of oversight, as the wide cry had been non-release of funds to the MDAs, which should be the yardstick for the committees to use in measuring performance. The lukewarm attitude of the House has also been seen by many as a big threat to the before December ending targeted passage of the budget, as so much desired by the President.
Is it, therefore, just the usual politics of budgeting, or anger over the inability of the executive to implement members’ projects, and others for the benefit of Nigerians? Answers to this and many more beckons as Nigerians wait for the House to resume on December 19, to revive the committees’ reports, co-ordinated by the Appropriations Committee.
