The Federal Government has initiated the groundwork for the 2025 national budget with a strict directive to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to ensure their proposals strictly reflect their statutory responsibilities.
In addition, the government has emphasized the need for projects that align with the administration’s current economic priorities.
According to The PUNCH, this directive was communicated by the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, during a session on Tuesday at the inauguration of the GIFMIS Budget Preparation Sub-System training for MDAs in Abuja.
The training marks the beginning of efforts aimed at streamlining the budgetary process.
Yakubu addressed long-standing concerns about the national budget, highlighting the need for improvement.
He stated, “The quality of our national budget has been a long-standing concern, with stakeholders often questioning the relevance, execution and effectiveness of our budgetary proposals.”
He emphasized that the current training session is a critical step toward improving the way ministries and agencies participate in budget formulation.
He continued by underscoring the importance of MDAs adhering strictly to their statutory responsibilities when preparing the budget.
“I urge all MDAs to stay true to their mandates. Our executive budget proposals must be coherent and purpose-driven, embodying the government’s vision for security and development,” Yakubu remarked.
His call reflects the government’s aim to prevent the inclusion of irrelevant or extraneous projects that stray from each agency’s core functions.
Yakubu also reminded the MDAs of their crucial role in transforming the government’s priorities into actionable programs.
“You hold the vital responsibility of transforming government priorities into actionable programs and projects. I encourage you to meticulously review your submissions to ensure they align with the overarching goal to safeguard the essential economic functions of producing, distributing, and consuming goods and services,” he added.
The DG’s comments come in response to widespread dissatisfaction expressed by Nigerians over the past mismanagement of budgetary allocations.
In 2023, a report from Tracka, BudgIT’s service delivery tracking platform, revealed that over 687 projects, worth an estimated N112 billion, were allocated to agencies without the requisite mandate to manage those projects, sparking public outcry over inefficiency and waste.
Yakubu acknowledged the difficult economic landscape the country is facing, pointing out that challenges such as insecurity and limited financial resources have compounded the government’s efforts to reverse economic decline.
He noted that the current administration is contending with substantial fiscal constraints, further exacerbated by insecurity, which limits the nation’s capacity to meet its development goals.
To counter these challenges, Yakubu highlighted the implementation of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System Budget Preparation Sub-System as a step toward a more effective and transparent budgetary process.
He affirmed the administration’s commitment to introducing reforms aimed at better resource allocation and addressing critical issues such as poverty and infrastructure deficits, which increase the cost of doing business in Nigeria.
“The GIFMIS Budget Preparation Subsystem Training Session provides us with an invaluable opportunity to acquire the tools and knowledge necessary to enhance our budgetary processes. This technology-driven system is designed to improve efficiency, eliminate bottlenecks, and promote accountability,” Yakubu concluded, underscoring the pivotal role of technology in improving the country’s budget process.
Through this initiative, the government hopes to eliminate inefficiencies, ensure more effective resource distribution, and align budgetary allocations with the critical economic needs of the nation.
