By Christiana Ekpa and Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Senators yesterday applauded President Muhammad Buhari 2018 Budget presentation over increment of N2.652 Capital expenditure in the 2018 appropriation bill.
Some of the Senators who spoke to Peoples Daily, described as a well development the improvement of 30.8 percent Capital expenditure in the 2018 budget.
Reacting to the budget presentation, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio(PDP Akwa- Ibom) said it is a well development for the present Government under Buhari to increase the capital expenditure part of the budget that will benefit the Masses.
He said, if President Muhammad Buhari can improve more on the Capital Expenditure, it will encouraging.
“For now, I think is impressive for this Federal Government to increase the Capital Expenditure and if he continue to improve on it, it will encourage a lot of us. It is a well development
“ There is a need to improve on the Capital Expenditure and when get the details as usual, will focus on it
“There is also a need to unbound over 600 government Agencies, with directors general, ministers that are taking 70 percent of the budget and at the end, they will not allowe capital project to develop. The recurrent expenditure will never give room to capital project” he added
Also senator Abdullahi Adamu, ( APC Gombe) said it is, a very good proposal with a very high chance of succeeding, provided all hands are on deck to deliver the deliver the budget
Senator Foster Ogola, (PDP Bayelsa West) who added his voice said, the budget will bring about emancipation to Nigerians if the government will handle critical issues in the country
“The budget bring emancipation to our people, we pray that God will intervene to enable us have a government that will take care of our needs. The behavior of the Federal government is breeding militants in the Niger delta”
Also senator Ovie Omo-Agege-( APC Delta) said Buhari has demonstrated to Nigerians that he is equal to the task.
“He has demonstrated that he is up to the task for the remaining term, he also demonstrated that he is capable of running another campaign and govern this country for another four years.
“We believe in his vision for this country. We are his foot soldiers.
“The increase funding for NDDC, I am excited about that. There is adequate funding for the Itakpe-Alaja rail line, the 150 billion naira set aside for the social intervention for direct cash transfer. Iam excited about that even though I am not happy with the mode of implementation of the 2017 budget”
He commended the president for growing the sovereign wealth fund from 1 million dollars to 500 million dollars.
“He has fulfilled his constitutional obligation, it is now left for us to cross the Ts and dot the Is and infact, right the budget as we see fit” he added
Senator Peter Nwaboshi ( PDP Delta North) equally commend the president for his resilience.
“ The way he was able to speak for 0ne hour five minutes. It is a good development that we are seeing our president well.
“I had expected the president in his speech to dwell on the achievements in the Niger Delta. This where principally the revenue for this budget is coming from. He should have specific achievements in those areas.
On the MTEF not been passed before the presentation of the budget, said “this is a condition precedent by the Fiscal responsibility Act, we are supposed to pass the MTEF before the budget is presented, that is not done. This is another issue. This is wrong by the law.
Senator Francis Alimikhena said the MTEF and the budget were presented to meet the January to December dateline. “We will threat the MTEF first then we will threat the budget” he added.
