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Opinion on President Buhari's 2016 Budget
Mr. President in the early 1980s, you expressed real concern that the last time the accounts of some of our states were audited was 1964. It would be critical for this government to look into this matter again. After all, Abuja was generous enough to pay the salaries of personnel in some our states that ran out of cash recently.
I read with interest the 2016 national budget and was particularly impressed with the delivery and the following points:
23: Government will train 500,000 teachers… for our elementary schools: This is commendable. However, we need a time or period within which to accomplish this task. For instance, this project will be accomplished by December 30, 2016 or January 1, 2017. Once a target date is set the instrumentalities for implementing the program should be activated and carefully monitored to avoid corruption in this scheme.
24. Loans to market women…: Fantastic!
25. Transparent conditional cash transfer program for the poorest and most vulnerable…: This provision is a sweet music to my ears!
48. I have heard [these failed promises] before…: I hope that we will not have to repeat this phrase next December.
49. We will not betray the trust reposed on us: Government should rest assured that members of the informed public/civil society will remain vigilant on this matter—and we will push your administration to stay on course.
50. Government welcomes [constructive] criticism: This is refreshing. My hope is that government would take criticisms seriously.
51. We are servants not [masters]: In democratic theory, this is exactly what we expect of our legislators from the local council chairpersons to the governors and president. Nigeria belongs to the 170 or so million compatriots and not to the few that we elected to govern for 4 years. In short, we hired our lawmakers and can fire or sack them electorally if they serve their insular interests—and not the interests of our people.
52. We as a Government cannot do it alone. We will require the support of all civil servants, the organized labour, industry groups, the press [or media] and of course, our religious and traditional institutions. THIS IS A CALL FOR ALL OF US TO STAND AND SERVE OUR [GREAT] COUNTRY: SPLENDID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nevertheless, Mr. President, a concern of many who have read your budget speech is EXECUTION. Accordingly, it would be imperative for this budget (as outlined in your speech) to be sold to the country either by you visiting the 36 states and connecting with ordinary citizens or delegating your subordinates to do so. I believe that in order to serve us effectively, you have to connect with the populace. After all, you are one of us who just happens to be our president. I would recommend that in addition to working with civil servants and civil society organizations (as noted in item 52) you should visit only villages in the 36 states to promote your agenda. In those days, Awo did so in his helicopter. A majority of our fellow citizens live in pastoral Nigeria—not Lagos, Kaduna, Ibadan, Enugu and Benin City… They need to see Mr. President and connect with you in our struggle for democratic consolidation.
Good Luck and happy holidays!
Ike Udogu
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Thursday, December 24, 2015
Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Opinion on President Buhari's 2016 Budget
Emmanuel,
Many thanks for sharing. A good budget should be the guiding light of a nation. It should have at its core an ideology, a coherent set of guiding principles that drive allocation. It should not be an incoherent exercise at dispensing largely borrowed largesse to an increasingly restive citizenry. The budget is informed by a ludicrous assumption of crude oil price that is already higher than what is prevailing (it is easy to predict that the price will drop even further) plus heavy borrowing. This government has missed a golden opportunity to downsize government, devolve responsibility to viable states and force legislation to dissolve states that are at best indigent.
The federal government in my opinion should not be in the business of running and funding education, it's real job should be oversight and accountability. This is still a unitary government from the 20th century. It is unsustainable.
Much of the initiatives in budget come across as 80's style socialist preening. They are most likely dead on arrival so I won't waste my time analyzing them. In any case, there is the matter of capacity. Take the training of teachers: Nigeria does not have the capacity to hire 500,000 trained teachers within one year. It is logistically impossible. Let's not even argue this fact. Even were this to be possible, it is irresponsible to fund this initiative with borrowed and phantom funds. Nothing is free; we should be taxing people for this. Still, education is best left to the states and local government. The federal government should offer allocations/block grants with struck measurable stipulations to help states and local governments.
The problem with the budget and the promises is that we lack data, discrete data to make informed decisions. True, we have to start from somewhere but this scatter shot approach is a disappointing reminder yet again that we are a long way from getting to the starting point.
I would have more to say, but that would be a waste of my time. I have to go take out the trash!
-Ikhide
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