Finance Minister, Dr Olusegun Aganga has been summoned by the House of Representatives to explain the alleged poor implementation of the 2010 budget. He is expected to brief the House on the subject.
This was as the federal lawmakers recently resolved not to accept 2011 budget proposals from President Goodluck Jonathan until the National Assembly is convinced on the level of budget implementation.
These were highpoints of a motion deploring the alleged poor budget implementation by the executive arm of government.
The federal lawmakers who took turns to criticize the Jonathan administration for the poor budget implementation said it amounted to a criminal offence for any government official to subvert implementation of the budget which was duly passed into law.
Chairman, House committee on Police affairs, Abdul Ningi urged his colleagues to go beyond criticism and wield the big stick against public officers hindering smooth budget implementation.
Disclosing that the anomaly dates back to Olusegun Obasanjo's presidency, Ningi said it is now time to put a stop to the practice in the interest of the nation's economy.
He wondered how the various macro-economic variables bandied at the beginning of each fiscal year could be attained if successive budgets are not fully implemented.
Also, Hon. Rabe Nasir who described the poor budget implementation as an act of corruption and irresponsibility, also called for stiff sanctions against the finance minister and his other culpable colleagues.
Similar sentiments were expressed by other federal lawmakers, inckuding Uche Ekwunife, Garba Matazu, Labaran Dambatta, Samson Positive and Bukar Abba Ibrahim.
Matazu said he does not know how to explain the anomaly to electorates who daily seek explanations from him on the poor budget performance.
Coming on the eve of an election year, the lawmaker said it portends worrisome development for those seeking re-election into public office if it is not urgently addressed.
In his contribution, Positive queried whose interest the government is serving if it fails to faithfully implement a budget that seeks to provide basic amenities and other relevant projects for the people.
Attempts by chairman, House committee on finance, Hon John Eno to blame the poor budget implementation on dwindling revenue was rejected by the lawmakers who at a point called for immediate resignation of the finance minister.
Presiding deputy speaker, Usman Nafada interjected and said the affected ministers cannot be absolved of blame.
He said at a meeting at the official residence of deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on the budget earlier in the year, petroleum minister on her own gave the revenue profile from crude oil which she assured was attainable.
He said the legislature would not entertain any excuses over the poor budget implementation.
Nafada said the capital side of the budget is crucial in addressing the needs of the people more than the overheads, wondering why the poor implementation did not affect salaries and allowances of government officials.
The House resolved to direct the ministry of finance to immediately release all capital allocations to the various ministries, departments and agencies.
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