2017 Budget: Fashola Denies Knowledge Of N2bn Inclusion

By Oladapo Okeowo

The spectre of budget padding raised its ugly head again during the defence of the 2017 budget. The 2016 budget was characterised by various instances of unexplained and needless allocations that had no business being in it seeing as the government said it is running a zero-based budget (ZBB).

A ZBB is a method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified for each new period. This means each item and function is newly introduced after finicky and holistic cost-benefit analysis; especially in this harsh economic times.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on Tuesday, had his turn in front of members of the Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development to defend the ministries’ budget estimates.

In the course of the examination of the items in the proposal, the senators pointed to a strange vote to the tune of N2 billion. The minister was asked about the item and he denied pre-knowledge of its inclusion. He suggested that the Minister of Finance be called to give an explanation for its inclusion as that is “not we submitted.”.

He said “I know as much of it as you do, sir” and suggested that the Minister of Finance be called to give an explanation for its inclusion as that is “not we submitted”.

The item, numbered FMOW99934089, is stated as a provision for regional housing scheme.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue/Benue North-east), acquiesced and requested that the ministry of finance send information to explain the item.

The 2017 budget submitted to the National Assembly has a total estimate of N7.298tn.