- Financial experts have condemned the delay in passage of budgets
- The experts harped on the numerous adverse effects that delay in budget passage causes
- They called on both the federal government and the National Assembly to ensure that budgets are submitted and passed without any delay
Financial experts on Monday, February 4, called for speedy passage of the 2019 budget saying incessant delay in the approval of budgets over the years contributed to the downturn in the economy.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos that the legislature needed to fast track the passage of the budget to kickstart economic activities in the new year.
Professor Sheriffdeen Tella, Professor of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, said perennial delays in passing yearly budgets showed that the legislature was ignorant of its responsibility.
READ ALSO: Governor Wike accuses Buhari govt of marking 200 judges for intimidation, false allegations
Budget cycle since 2008. Credit: NAN
Source: UGC
“The perennial delay in passing budgets indicates that the legislature is either ignorant of this responsibility or deliberately frustrating the efforts of the executive arm to perform,” Tella said.
He said early passage of the budget would promote economic growth and development.
“The Nigerian economy depends on government’s budget to function properly. The private sector particularly needs to see government direction to plan and execute their plans.
“Early passage of budget helps in this regard. The private sector is the major participant in the capital market.
“Growth enhancing activities in the capital market are negatively affected by the delay in passing the budget,” Tella said.
He noted that passing the federal budget in good time was capable of promoting economic growth, assisting private sector for optimal business performance as well as energising money and capital market activities.
Tella explained that early budget passage would promote planning in the lower levels of governments and the private sector.
Sola Oni, a chartered stockbroker and Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications, said delay in the passage of the budget was highly injurious to economic growth and development.
“Budget sends signals to stockbrokers and other investment advisers on the sectors to watch and where to raise red flags annually.
“This enables them to advise their clients on taking positions and reviewing their portfolios accordingly.
“At macro level, early passage of the budget implies prompt implementation of capital projects. This is critical to the growth of the economy as it has impact on growing the Gross Domestic Products (GDP),” Oni said.
He emphasised that the executive and the National Assembly should be on the same page in terms of timing.
“It has become a recurring decimal for both parties to be enmeshed in controversies either politically motivated or genuine,” he stated.
Also speaking, Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., said the budgeting cycle of Nigeria was already a problem and concern for Nigerians as business plans were affected with late submission and approval.
Omordion said the delay and implementation style had made the budget less meaningful and impactful.
He said capital projects must wait for approval before commencement of work, while recurrent expenses would be running.
“For our budget to make meaning and drive economic activities, the executive and legislature need to have a re-think and restore the nation’s fiscal year to January and December.
“In the last 11 years, the only year the budget was approved early was in 2013, February 26, because that was the earliest time the budget was submitted on Oct. 10, 2012,” Omordion said.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda
Meanwhile, in its report on Nigerian economy, which was published on Thursday, January 31, the Centre for the Study of Economies of Africa (SCEA) said it noted a significant increase of $382 million in the earnings from non-oil exports.
The SCEA report said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recorded non-oil export earnings at $382.24 million in October 2018, which means there was a rise of 46% compared to the previous month’s earning of N262.35 million and October 2017's N225.78 million.
Legit.ng gathers from the report that improvements in proceeds from agricultural products as well as mineral exports contributed grossly to the total export earnings.
It was also noted that agriculture accounted for the 13% of the earning, while 59% of the earning was from minerals export.
NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service!
Nigeria News 2018: Nigerians Blow Hot as President Buhari Signs 2018 Budget in June | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng