The perennial gap between budgetary estimates and implementation is a growing concern and a contributory cause of poor economic development. Budget is variously regarded as a comprehensive document of estimates of government’s income and expenditure proposed for a specified period which is usually one year. In Nigeria, it is not unusual to hear of frequent low budget implementation, leaving one to wonder if our budgets are always designed to be partially implemented.
Since the inception of the fourth republic, it has been observed that it takes an average of six months before a budget is ready for implementation and this sometimes close to the middle of the year. This affects fiscal planning in private and non-formal sectors of the economy whose projections are usually predicated on federal government allocation to its ministries and agencies. Also, the recurring less than 45 percent capital component in budget implementation is quite worrisome.
Even if corruption is fought at all sectors of the economy, without beaming the search light on the budget office to unravel and carefully scrutinize inputs from various ministries, departments, commissions, agencies and parastatals, the nation would continue to experience unclear budgetary directions and minimal implementation of projects captured in such budgets.
Lagos State for instance has been found to have an improved performance of its budget to nearly 90 percent with an improved trajectory for a continuous increase in its IGR. The transparent budgetary processes of the state have no doubt demystified that system which many states and federal government are still struggling to grasp.
When figures are unnecessarily tinkered with, many wonder what constitutes padding, others question who has the authority to decide which projects should be in the budget, we are indeed in a serious dilemma. The question we the citizens should ask is who do we hold responsible where our expectations are not met? If the simple process of executive preparing and presenting the budget to the National Assembly for consideration becomes such a tedious process, then it is personal interest that has compounded otherwise seamless and simple process.
Itaobong Etim,
Calabar
