The Hands Behind: Vanished! Missing! Now Found and Padded Budget

The Hands Behind: Vanished! Missing! Now Found and Padded Budget

As a Nationalist and Patriot, I hold to the belief that we must support our government. The task is difficult enough and shrill criticisms and bashing of government is to no ones advantage. However, it is only a friend that will tell his friend “quietly” that “his mouth is smelling”

I wish fervently that this budget works and is the cornerstone to building a more vibrant economy, bringing relief to the citizenry and setting the Country on course to great things. I wish these things and have not worried unnecessarily about a “lost or found budget”; until now.

It is indeed worrisome to watch officials of 

Ministries and Parastatals openly disavow and criticize their own sections in the budget. Watching, Government Ministers and Heads of Agencies lampoon the provisions of the budget and even claim their allocations where “alien” to them is mind boggling.

Such open disconnect between the key Minister of Finance and the Comptroller General of Customs, who by the way heads the second highest contributing organization to the Nations coffers, on such an issue as remuneration is lamentable. You’d expect there should be more “sync” between these two officials “especially because of the offices they occupy”.

As the National Assembly screams “blue murder” at padding, disparity and recurring budgetary items, it has become manifestingly clear that “change” has not come to the budgetary process. It has become clear that “Government Ministries, Parastatals and Agencies are still steeped in their wily old ways”. It has become clear that the “body language of change” has not been “embodied” by some key officials of government.

As the “hue and cry” over a missing budget reached a crescendo, the President acted by writing the National Assembly and “making amendments”. He doused, and I must say extricated some from their “foul -up”.

The President has to also act now. “The officials that have contributed to the budget being mired in controversy have to be fished out and made example of”. This budget is the “most important Bill” of this nascent administration and President Buhari should not allow the “Hope” and “Change” that the budget represents to be stymied by some “unscrupulous and unchanging few”. “The anti-corruption breeze must blow them”.

"Nigeria is in dire straits, Mr President, and all opprobrium must be lifted from the budget to rekindle hope".

THESE ARE THE WORDS OF
Victor Ikhatalor
Founder of "The MyTribeNigeria Initiative"
Author of #MyTribeNigeria