2017 Budget: FG Failed Woefully In South East – Governors

The South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF) has flayed the Federal Government for poor and sectional implementation of capital projects in 2017 Appropriation Act.

The governors noted that the unfortunate aspect of the 2017 federal capital budget implementation thrust was the inequitable nature of the focal sectors that should drive the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) in the zone.

They also stated that budget implementation based on mere sentiments was bound to fail because it will not lead the country to its destination.

These were contained in a monitoring report of the implementation of the capital budget across the South East geopolitical zone for the 2017 approved budget of the Federal Government presented by “Voice to the People,” a programme sponsored by UKaid in partnership with SEGF and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, among others.

According to the report, they monitored the projects in communities in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states under the 2017 budget through citizens’ support, in line with the best practices on public finance, which Open Governance Partnership (OGP) promotes.

It said: “The findings reveal a less than 50 percent budget implementation. One hundred and fifty projects were monitored. Findings show that 30.52 per cent were completed and put in use; 15.24 percent are completed but not in use, 24.13 percent are ongoing and have achieved 50 percent completion, 11.73 percent are ongoing, but below 50 percent completion, while 0.91 percent are poorly executed and failed.”

Opening the workshop, Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of SEGF, Chief David Umahi, said the governors were committed to the development of the region.

Represented by Accountant General of the state, Mrs. Queen Agwu, the governor explained that the forum, aside serving as platform for peer review, also encouraged regional cooperation.

Director General of SEGF, Prof. Simon Otuanya, gave assurance that the forum would continue to work closely with intellectuals to review budget allocations and implementations at the state and national levels “for all the years forward, with special interest on how they are helping the region towards economic renaissance.”