The Association for Credible Leadership in Nigeria (ACLN), has shown appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for understanding the current economic situation in the country, which has led to reductions in the 2016 budget.
The association, in comparing the budgets of recent past years with the 2016 budget, observed some reductions in most sectors in the 2016 budget.
The ACLN said this in a press release made available to newsmen, noting that the allocation for National Assembly in 2015 budget was N120 billion but reduced to N115 billion in 2016.
“So too, the allocation for Presidential Amnesty in the 2015 budget was pegged at N63.28 billion but reduced to N43.28 billion.
“However, like all well meaning Nigerians, we still believe that is not anywhere close to what we need especially with the dire economic situation that we found ourselves in as a country.
“No doubt that these costs of governance could have been better reduced if a number of things were taken out completely or reduced to minimum.
“We recall that the President, upon assumption of office, promised to reduce the Aircrafts in the Presidential fleet from about ten or eleven to one. As far as we know, nothing has been done in that regard and the country spends a lot to run and maintain these airplanes,” the release reads in part.
According to the Association, of what use is it if Lawmakers must have official accommodations and cars despite having personal ones.
“Even commissioners have official cars and houses: these we believe are waste of resources. With the present economic situation of the country, all quarters need to sacrifice hence, government officials should cut down the way they spend public funds.
“We advise that the country deal with corruption and excessive spending among government officials if we want to stabilize our economy and attract meaningful foreign investors.
“Nigeria needs to learn from a country like Tanzania where the President, John Magufuli is radically ‘changing’ the way things were done among public office holders.
“The President suspended the Independence Day celebration to save the country 4billion Tanzanian shilling after which the proposed money was converted to addressing the outbreak of cholera that had killed 74 people at the time. He has cancelled foreign travel for most government officials and maintained that when it is compulsory, public office holders must travel by economy and not business class,” it said.
It noted how one of the lawmakers, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce decried the number of unnecessary luxuries included in the budget that is expected to be funded by borrowing from other countries.
In the video, the Senator noted that the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, gets 30,000 pounds for the uplift of his official residence. Yet the Great Britain does not have one Presidential jet but Nigeria has multiple.
“Sadly, Nigeria plans to borrow from Britain, which according to the Senator, leaves Nigeria being a debtor, living larger than its creditor,” Murray-Bruce lamented.
In furtherance, the ACLN said: “Right in the middle of all these, the National Assembly proposed to splash about N4.7billion on at least 400 vehicles for leaders and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, of which the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has received the delivery of two exotic cars at the cost of N329,515,625.
“A sum that is larger than the allocations for many government schools as seen in the 2016 budget according to an online news media.”
The group quoted former President Olusegun Obasanjo to have said: “A pool of a few cars for each Chamber will suffice for any Committee Chairman or members for any specific duty. The waste that has gone into cars, furniture, housing renovation in the past was mind-boggling and these were veritable sources of waste and corruption. That was why they were abolished. Bringing them back is inimical to the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
The ACLN therefore pleaded with the Buhari-led administration to further look into the 2016 budget and remove, suspend or drastically reduce the budget.
“Another insensitive way of spending that we observed in the budget is the N3.8 billion reportedly allocated to State House Clinic. If Mr President is serious about the budget, this insensitivity needs to be addressed.
“Therefore, the ACLN join Nigerians home and abroad to say that this sum is excessive for a government that is advocating for a reduction in the cost of governance. There is no justification for such a sum, if this is true.
“We urge the Federal Government to revisit this outrageous sum having in mind that several clinics and Primary Health Centers in the country are either understaffed, lacking equipment or poorly managed and exposing citizens to different health problems.
“We must also commend Nigerians for standing up to note and query the supposed excesses observed in the budget, even as we urge every Nigerian to exercise patience with the government as we hopefully expect the changes we voted for to materialize. Nigeria is great and can be greater if government can lead the citizens through the right path, even as we trust that citizens’ interest will prevail in the 2016 budget. We believe in the power of the people; We the people,” it stated.
