Low implementation of 2012 budget embarrassing – Sankara

source:sunnewsonline.com

Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources, Senator Danladi Abdullahi Sankara, has x-rayed the 2013 budget proposal. He concluded that partial or half-hearted implementation of budgets erodes public confidence in the government and the political leaders. He spoke with Desmond Mgboh.
Excerpts:
Vote to the Ministry of Water Resources
The total amount proposed in 2013 budget as capital expenditure for water resources is N39.8 billion. In the 2012 budget, the capital expenditure for water resources was N79.3 billion. We have a short-fall of N40 billion in the 2013 proposal. Remember that last year when the 2012 budget proposal was presented, I complained that the allocation to the water resource sector was grossly inadequate but this year again the proposal for 2013 is even less by far compared to the previous year.
Low implementation of 2012 budget embarrassing – Sankara
Ordinarily, a sector as important as water resources should attract much higher allocation, considering the ever rising need for clean water for domestic use in every corner of the country and, of course, for irrigation.The sad incidents of flood all over the nation is not and cannot be an indication that Nigeria has gotten more than its requirements of water that would warrant the cutting down or reduction of funds for water development. There is a fundamental difference between potable water for domestic use and for sanitation, and the flood water.
I think the only consolation we have here is the capacity of the National Assembly to effect some amendments and reviews in the budget proposal as presented with the aim of scaling up votes for water resources.
The fact of the matter is that the allocation to the sector as it is cannot make any significant impact the lives of the people as expected.
How would you assess the level of implementation of the 2012 budget?
With all sense of responsibility, the level of the implementation of the 2012 budget is very low. We are now in the months of October with only two month left towards the end of the year, but the 2012 budget has not been implemented by up to 40 per cent by the ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals. Surprisingly, almost everywhere the necessary funds required to match the budget proposals have not been released. It is very embarrassing.
In some cases, as at the end of September 2012, the MDAs have not been able to secure the release of budget funds for up to 30 per cent. You begin to wonder the reasons for the disconnection between budget proposal and the actual release of the required funds to accelerate national development.
If budgets are drawn up and there is difficulty in getting the approved funds to execute the identified or listed projects, then what is the essence of budgeting in the first place? It becomes a waste of time, waste of energy and resources. Of course, it short-changes the people when you fail to make the required funds available for the practical implementation of proposals. Certainly, something is wrong somewhere, otherwise the question of failure to release budget funds to the appropriate implementing agencies does not arise.
In your opinion, what makes the release of the voted funds diffucult?
It is the responsibility of the executive arm of government to ensure the prompt release of funds for the implementation of the budget which was drawn up by it in the first place. I am not very sure, but it appears there are elements of ineffectiveness and lack of sincerity on one hand, and lack of proper co-ordination between the various agencies responsible. Perhaps, that is why it has been consistently difficult to implement budgets to appreciable level.
This inadequacy is directly undermining the capacity of the nation to make any serious progress, and the masses are always at the receiving end, because the moneys voted for their welfare and development are routinely held back without any verifiable justification, only to be mopped back into the Federation Account at the end of each year. In some cases, it becomes even very difficult to say where these unspent budget funds are retired to or what becomes of them thereafter.
As I said earlier, the 2012 budget in particular has not been implemented up to 40 per cent. For instance, I am a member of Senate Committee on Health; we had interactive session with all Chief Medical Directors of Federal Medical Centres in the country at the end of September and early October. None of them has been able to secure the release of up to 30% of the funds voted in the 2012 budget for their various institutions.
You can only imagine the negative effects of such development to the healthcare delivery system. Everywhere, the story is the same. No one has been able to secure up to 50 per cent of funds allocated in the budget as at October 2012.
Critics have variously insinuated that funds for the financing of the 2012 budget have been dissipated up front to bank roll the election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. What is the truth of the matter?
I doubt very much; It is an idle talk and it is illogical for anyone to make such a wild and unsubstantiated allegation or claim. Before and after the 2011 general elections, the revenue accruable to the Federation Account has been stable. There was no national emergency that warranted extra-ordinary expenditure by the government and as I speak with you, we have more than $40billion in the nation’s external reserve.
By this simple analysis, how can you then rationalize a claim that budget funds for the 2012 fiscal year were dissipated up front to foot election expenses?
I doubt it very much. If revenue accruable to the Federation Account is stable, why is it that government is resorting to external loans to finance power developments, railways and sundry projects? You have answered the question already by yourself. I am a legislator. You affirmed that I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The issue you raised is within the jurisdiction of the Executive. You should be able to verify the details yourself. What is the implication of the non release or inadequate release of funds to ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) to the development of the nation as the case is in the 2012 budget? The negative implication of inadequate release of funds to match budget proposals for the purpose of implementation of projects and policies are enormous.
First of all, it will erode public confidence in government and the leaders. So long as government through leaders cannot be as much responsible enough to ensure that funds voted for public projects and utilized for the welfare of the citizens and general development of the nation, such a system can not earn the respect and confidence of the people.
Let us ask ourselves one basic question, that is, if we cannot be serious enough to fully implement the budgets to the benefit of the masses, then what is the essence of democracy? What is the essence of government and the leaders at all levels? It is the collective responsibility of every tier of government at all levels to discard self-interest and work hard to ensure that public interest is properly served.
The only way public interest is properly served is to ensure that moneys voted for projects in the budget are release as at when due. Remember that the first concern of every elected leader is the welfare of the people he or she is representing. Therefore, we must do something for the progress of the people. What I hate most in my life is deceit. When you deceive our people today, tomorrow what are you going to tell them, especially when you come back to ask for their votes?
We should have no excuse to give for our failings. We either live up to public expectation in terms of fulfilling promise, in terms of welfare of the masses, or we forget about it. Whatever anybody can say, the most important thing is implementation of the budget, what I hate in my life is deceit.