In the House of Representatives, lawmakers, while debating the general principles, expressed mixed feelings over the budget proposal. While some hailed the budget as the antidote to the country’s problems, others called for cautious optimism.
Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, stated that the allocation to the security sector will help to address the security challenges, which will in return herald peace and development in the country.
“I’m particularly excited at the sectoral allocations. Security N4.91 billion. We all know the problem we are facing in the nation. If we are able to get security right, there would be peace. There would be development. And things will move forward.”
Abdussamad Dasuki called for upward review of the budget estimates. “The budget may look robust on paper but if you convert it to dollars, you will realise that the budget is not where we should be. With the challenges we have, if you convert it to dollars, the nation will be inadequately provided for. I urge the relevant Committees particularly the Committee on Finance to work on this. More allocation is needed for the North-West Development Commission. We should ask ourselves the parameters used in arriving at this allocation.”
The Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda faulted the indices for the budget and described the appropriation bill as too ambitious.
“There is no doubt that our president was optimistic in the 2025 Appropriation presentation. I also agree with those who have contributed that if the budget is implemented the way it is presented, it will portend something good for our country.
“But then, we should not lose sight of the fact that this is a projection. So, the major question to ask is whether these projections are realisable…we must look at indices that are on ground
“As laudable as the budget may appear, it also appears that the indices are not completely correct. So, it is not Uhuru yet for us as a country. If we fake the specifics, which everybody has talked about here, some dancing over it that we expect a reduction from inflation rate from 36.9 to 15 percent, that is too ambitious. I don’t see how we can achieve that.
“Even when we achieve the issue of security in 2025, does it follow that immediately we will also achieve food security? The answer is no.
If we achieve security in 2025, we expect fundamental improvement in food security the following year…In achieving revenue targets, let’s not over tax our people. The budget deficit is another source of worry. The budget deficit is still high.”