by Dolapo Adelana
The Federal Government on Thursday dismissed claims that the 2017 budget was padded and filled with frivolous and unclear expenditures.
The Director-General, Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, made the clarification while addressing journalists and members of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the 2017 budget in Abuja.
On the controversial N2 billion housing project, Akabueze said the money has been traced to the federal ministry of housing and not the federal ministry of finance.
He said, “When they asked the minister of works about the N2 billion provision for regional housing scheme, he answered that it was related to the ministry of finance which is inaccurate.”
“Some have alleged that padding is back in the 2017 budget. I can say without equivocation that there is no padding in the 2017 budget proposal. The process of preparing the budget required Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to upload their budgets online through their accredited officers, who were issued access codes to ensure audit trail of all entries.
“In preparing the budget, the Chief Executive or Chief Accounting Officers of all MDAs were required to certify their final budgets. The budget presented to the National Assembly by Mr. President was exactly what the MDAs certified.”
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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