NIGERIAN 2012 BUDGET CONTROVERSY

Nigerian Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.

The rippling effects of 2012 budget implementation have been in the news in recent time. This is not the first time poor budget implementation is taking its toll on the Nigerian economy. Right from inception, there has been one story or the other from the government. Our budgets are not doing well and nobody is curious about it. This is because our leaders aggrandize themselves in power to
the detriment of national interests. They have no personal commitment to the Nigerian project. Personal interests are always placed  above the national interest.  From A-Z of our past and present leaders, nobody has made any difference in the discharge of duties and this is quite unfortunate because it is foolhardy to be doing the same thing over and over again expecting different result.

Early 2011, federal government through Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala made a solemn promise that 2012 budget will be ready as when due. She did not stop there; she promised that the budget when passed by the national assembly will be implemented judiciously.  2012  budget was supposed to take effect from April 2012 with an expected life span of 12 months. We should recall that industrial action that was precipitated by partial removal of subsidy on petrol has had a toll on this economy.   This lull on the economic situation of the country would have been quickened by effective implementation of the 2012 budget. The controversy here is that the green chamber of the national assembly, the house of representative  has been angered by the attitude of the executive that the  2012 budget they passed is kissing the dust in the custody of the executive arm of the government and this has prompted them to make a unanimous decision that on coming back from their recess in September, nothing will stop them from activating all the necessary articles relevant for impeachment and they will commence impeachment proceedings against President Jonathan if the budget is not implemented 100% by September.  The first reaction from the executive to this was that ‘there is no way for the government to achieve 100% budget implementation’. And that 2012 budget has a 56% implementation at the moment.  Lower house has a contrary view on this as they have scored the budget 34%.  At the height of this controversy was when president Goodluck Jonathan forwarded Petroleum Industry Bill to the lower house for swift consideration and passage into law.  This further heightened the tension in the house as the house minority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila condemned the insensitivity of president Jonathan in forwarding this all important bill to the house when he was fully aware they were going on break.

This hostility is not limited to the lower house alone as it has reared its ugly head in the upper house. Some senators have been mobilized to be on the same page with the green chambers on why disciplinary action should not be taken against Jonathan. Two weeks ago, the senators invited the executive to come and clarify some issues concerning poor budget implementations. The delegate in their normal hide and seek game, was led by Secretary to the Federal Government, Dr Anyim Pius Anyim in the absence of co-ordinating minister of economy and Nigerian Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala.  Her absence stalled the meeting as the senate was very angry about her being absent. Just last week, she appeared and maintained that the budget has 56% implementation. But the papers submitted by the minister to the senate showed that the budget has only been implemented 12.6%. What a country!  Wait! But how can budget be passed up to such extent without any noticeable change in the activities of the economy? The lull in the economy has been waiting for this budget but alas! Nothing has been changed and the budget has reached 56% implementation. It has been noted that due to the impeachment threat, the presidency has resorted to quick moves of asking the ministers to render their stewardship and so far, all of them are saying everything is green green and no cause for alarm. At this juncture, the question is who is fooling who? Whose report should we believe? Since the government has said that the budget cannot be implemented 100%, it means that there remain a few percentages to implement and everything will be over and it will again become business as usual.  Failing to implement the budget is an impeachable offence since it is an act of parliament fully backed by law. Another reason the executive gave for budget performance so far was that the budget forwarded to the national assembly to consider was padded (constituency allowances added) before it was sent back to the executive. But a member of the argued that if the budget should be sent  back to the executive the way it came; then, there would be no need for the legislature to exist in government.  Action of the House is good as this will make Goodluck Jonathan to wake up from his unending slumber. However, the house lacks the moral right to call for impeachment since they have not  cleared their name in the fuel subsidy scam involving Farouk Lawan and Oil magnete Femi Otedola

This 2012 budget has also revealed that Nigeria is bankrupt following the Euro zone crises. And this is the reason the executive arm is not releasing money for budget. There is no doubt that the world is a global village, so dwindling economies of the euro zone will certainly impart negatively on other countries Nigeria inclusive. Could it be that our country is broke? Time shall tell.

Finally, when two elephants fight, it is the grasses that will suffer. House should sheath their sword about impeachment. Let the right things be done. Let the executive do the needful and both the executive government and the legislature should save us this national embarrassment. This is a clarion call to President Jonathan to open his eyes wide aseverybody is watching, waiting for 2015 when PDP will lose out in all the elections.