Centre urges Osinbajo not to sign budget

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo not to assent to the 2017 Appropriation bill as passed by the National Assembly.

In an open letter to Osinbajo by CACOL’s executive chairman, Debo Adeniran, the anti-corruption group said preliminary expert analysis of the budget showed that it is not sustainable, saying this is “considering that 24% of the whole estimates, about N1.84 trillion is targeted for debt servicing.”

Adeniran said it was pertinent for the budget to be properly scrutinized, “with the view of expunging ‘padding’ and wasteful spending on frivolities.”

He added that there was need for close scrutiny of the “jerking up of the original budget estimates proposed to National Assembly by the Executive up to the tune of N145 billion.”

“One of the most alarming aspect of the budget is perhaps demonstrated in the insensitiveness to the sufferings and very pressing needs of the people, made very manifest by the N13 billion proposed for ‘refreshments, travels and welfare’ for the N/Assembly,” he said.

He said CACOL on behalf of Nigerians is calling on the acting president, “not assent to a budget that prioritize the insatiable greed and the selfaggrandizing ends of the political class over the existential needs of class of the downtrodden, the oppressed and exploited, who are the majority.”