Erstwhile presidential candidate of the Labour Party,
LP, Mr Peter Obi, has said that there is no corresponding breakdown of
expenditures to justify the increase in the 2025 national budget.
The statement comes after President Bola Tinubu, on
Thursday, increased the appropriation bill for the 2025 fiscal year from N49.7
trillion to N54.2 trillion.
DAILY POST reported that Tinubu announced the
increment in separate letters, which he forwarded to both the Senate and the
House of Representatives.
Reacting to the development, Obi said that Nigerians
need to know how the resources generated are being allocated for the sake of
transparency and accountability.
This, he said, was to ensure that they were
judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the
people.
In a statement issued on Friday via his X handle, the
former Anambra state Governor said Nigerians were still waiting for a detailed
account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget passed in
December 2023.
Obi further called on the National Assembly to seize
this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget.
He said: “Yesterday, I read about the increase in the
Budget of Restoration to N54 trillion due to increased revenue.
“While the sources of this revenue were detailed,
there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase.
For transparency and accountability sake Nigerians need to know how the
resources generated from them are being allocated to ensure that they are
judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the
people.
“Such expenditures should be directed toward critical
areas of development; education, healthcare, security, and poverty alleviation.
“Furthermore, Nigerians are still waiting for a
detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget
passed in December 2023 to ensure that it has been properly utilized for the
country’s future development and the well-being of its citizens.
“I call on the National Assembly to seize this
opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget of
Renewed Hope budget.
“Transparency in this regard is crucial for ensuring
accountability, learning from past budgets, and making informed decisions for
the nation’s progress.
“As we work towards passing the Budget of Restoration
for 2025, let us uphold openness, accountability, and the welfare of the
Nigerian people. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and the future of our
great nation. -PO”
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