Talks On 2016 Budget Still Ongoing – Udoma

The Nigerian government is yet to conclude talks with the legislature on the 2016 budget, but has set up a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to make sure that the budget delivers what it promised when finally signed by the President.

Speaking at a Press Briefing yesterday, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma said there is no date yet in sight for President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the 2016 Budget.

According to him, talks on the grey areas in the budget are still in progress.

He said: “On the 2016 Budget, we are still talking.”

“On the expectation that we will soon have a budget, the monitoring and evaluation mechanism are designed to make sure that the budget delivers what it promises. That mechanism was looked at by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and approved.”

He also said that plans were ongoing to ensure that the 2017 budget would begin on time, with a view to ensuring that the document would get to the National Assembly before the end of 2016.