Tag: Minister of Budget

FG Denies Recommendation To Raise N5tn From Sale Of Assets

Assets Sale, Economy Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGPThe Federal Government has distanced itself from reports indicating that it is planning to raise about five trillion Naira from the sale of assets in the next four years.

The government made the declaration on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Akpandem James.

Mr James noted that some publications had claimed that the projected amount was contained in the Economy Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) being finalised by the Federal Government.

He, however, stated that there was no recommendation to raise such amount of revenue from the sale of assets.

“It has become necessary to state that the ERGP that is being finalised and which will soon be presented to the public, has no recommendation for raising that amount of revenue from sale of assets.

“To achieve the strategic objectives of the plan, 60 strategies have been developed for implementation with four key execution priorities: stabilisation of the macroeconomic environment, agriculture and food security, sufficiency in energy (power and petroleum products) and industrialisation focusing on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises,” the statement said.

Buhari’s Government Not Responsible For Nigerians’ Woes – Udoma

Buhari's Government Not Responsible For Nigerians' Woes - UdomaNigeria’s Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma, says President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is not responsible for Nigerians’ woes.

He was answering questions from State House correspondents after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting where the Vice President, governors of the 36 states of the federation and key ministers in the cabinet gathered for what looked like a presentation of their scorecard for the last one year.

Mr. Udoma said that the present government was on a rescue mission to correct the damage done by previous governments.

He blamed the current economic crisis on the financial mismanagement of the last regime for failing to save despite the free flow of resources from the sales of crude oil.

The Minister also explained the plan period of 2017 and 2020 and the efforts to grow the economy.

Corroborating the Minister’s position, Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, said that those heaping the blames on the Buhari government are uncharitable and therefore should be ignored.

According to him, the NEC also identified some of the areas where the administration has performed despite the difficult times, and what they need to do, going forward.

NEC took examples from the revolution going on in Lagos and Anambra states, but most of all applauded the Vice President for the way and manner he has integrated the state governments into the economic policies of the administration.

This integration, they noted was lacking before.

Council then said that there will be greater collaboration between the state and federal government in the new year.

FG To Increase Health Budget In 2017 – Udoma

Budget, Udo Udoma, HealthThe Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, says that the Federal Government will increase budgetary allocation to the health sector in the 2017 budget, in its commitment to improving the sector in Nigeria.

Mr Udoma made this known when the Regional Director of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, visited him in his office in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

“This administration is committed to providing adequate fund for the health sector.

“We hope to upscale the budget for health next year compared to what is obtained in this year’s budget. Also we are designing effective policies to improve the sector,” he said.

While commending the WHO for aligning their programmes with government’s priorities, the Minister stated that healthcare provision was a top priority for the present administration.

He congratulated Dr. Moeti for being the first woman to hold the office of the WHO Regional Director and also praised her for fighting against diseases such as AIDS in Africa.

In an earlier speech, the WHO official commended Nigeria for its success in handling a number of diseases such as Ebola and also removing Nigeria from the list of endemic countries suffering from Polio.

She further solicited for efforts to sustaining the gains achieved so far.

“How Nigeria has successfully handled number of diseases like Ebola and Polio has been commendable especially in the area of preparedness, surveillance.

“We need to sustain the polio gain until totally removed,” she said.

Dr. Moeti said that WHO is pleased with Nigeria for identifying and making the health sector a top priority.