Buhari to partner lawmakers, reduce recurrent budget

resident-elect Muhammadu Buhari said he would work with federal lawmakers as development partners and would work towards reducing high cost of recurrent expenditure.

Buhari said this yesterday while addressing the National Assembly members-elect during their induction in Abuja.

“I therefore commit myself to working with the legislature as development partners motivated by the desire to deliver good governance,” he said.

“I am here today, to invite you to work with the executive as partners in progress, as champions of good governance and development and as warriors for change. Together, we can make this nation great and as a role model in Africa and other emerging economies and democracies,” Buhari added.

He also lamented the high cost of recurrent expenditure in the country’s budget, saying “we need to collaborate on the budget process and restructuring of the public sector so as to collectively tackle the menace of high recurrent cost at the expense of capital and human development.”

According to him, for a president to be successful in addressing community development and general welfare of the various people of the country, he or she would benefit from working closely and in harmony with the legislative arm of government.

Buhari noted that he would work with them to address the challenges of decline in revenues due to fall in oil prices which poses a threat to government’s capacity to deliver on reconstruction of devastated areas and the new government development agenda.

He said he would tackle the endemic corruption which has crippled human and infrastructure development for decades as well as the poor provision of power supply which has had a crippling effect on development of small businesses and indeed the wider economy.

The President-elect said the oversight function of the legislature is critical in ensuring that policies are implemented effectively and transparently. “Therefore, my mission to bring integrity into governance would better succeed if complemented with a strong culture of transparent oversight,” he said.

On insecurity, he said, “there is an urgent need to contain this high state of insecurity. All of you are representing various communities. We need to work together to address the problem from both its roots and manifestations.”